Colonoscopy Scope Infection Lawsuit

Lawsuits have been filed by people who developed severe infections and other injuries from contaminated scopes that were used in colonoscopies and other procedures.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting colonoscopy scope infection cases in all 50 states. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with C. diff, sepsis, or another serious infection after a colonoscopy, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

What Happened?

Olympus recalled 3,101 colonoscopes after finding that its own repair centers were returning scopes to hospitals with water still inside the channels. The problem was linked to a drying process had never been validated, which could lead to persistent contamination on the scopes.

Quick Facts About Colonoscope Infections

Recalled by: Aizu Olympus Co., Ltd., Aizuwakamatsu, Japan
Product: Olympus PCF series colonoscopes that were serviced at Olympus repair facilities
Recall date: September 25, 2023
FDA recall number: Z-0341-2024, Class II
Units affected: 3,101 colonoscopes, distributed nationwide in the U.S. and worldwide
Reason for recall: The channel air drying process was never validated, and some scopes went back to customers after repair with a wet channel
Official source: FDA medical device recall record Z-0341-2024

Olympus Recalled 3,101 Colonoscopes Returned Wet From Its Own Repair Centers

In September 2023, Olympus issued a Class II recall for about 3,101 colonoscopes. Olympus also sent an urgent medical device correction letter to healthcare professionals who were using the scopes, including endoscopy, respiratory, pulmonary, and urology departments.

Olympus issued the recall due to a problem in their own repair and disinfection process. After servicing and repairing a scope, Olympus technicians would flush the channel with water and dry the scope with a compressed filtered air.

Olympus found a problem with this process, specifically:

“Water remaining in the channel of the endoscopes has the potential for contamination that could lead to the risk of infection”

In the recall, Olympus warned that the scope channel air-drying process had not been validated. As a result, a small percentage of scopes were sent back to customers with a wet channel after being repaired. In the same letter, Olympus asked facilities to report complaints, including infections, and to report any scopes that arrived wet from its repair centers.

What is the Risk?

A colonoscope has long, narrow internal channels that carry water, air, and instruments. Those channels are have tiny crevices and narrow channels, which are challenging to dry. If there is water remaining on the device, bacteria could grow and contaminate the scope.

Drying is an essential step in the sterilizaion process. Even a scope that has been effectively disinfected can develop bacteria if it is stored wet.

How Common Are Infections?

A Johns Hopkins study published in the journal Gut in 2018 examined scopes used in colonoscopies and upper-GI endoscopies that were performed at ambulatory surgery centers across 6 states. Researchers found that the infection-rate within 7 days was slightly above 1 in 1,000 for screening colonoscopies and about 1.6 per 1,000 for non-screening colonoscopies. The infections involved dangerous bacteria like E. coli and Klebsiella.

The study also found that infection rates varied enormously between outpatient facilities. Over 15 million colonoscopies are performed in the U.S. each year, and most of these procedures are now performed in outpatient facilities rather than hospitals.

Infections Linked to Contaminated Scopes

Biological material on a contaminated scope can transmit infections between patients when the scope is reused. There are also other risks from improper reprocessing or storage of the scope. Some of the potential risks include:

Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)
Escherichia coli (E. coli)
Klebsiella
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Salmonella
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), often called a “superbug”
Bacteremia (bloodstream infection)
Sepsis and septic shock
Perforation of the colon and internal bleeding

Olympus Colonoscope Models

Olympus manufactures a wide range of scopes that are used in colonoscopy procedures, for example:

Olympus PCF-H180AI and PCF-H180AL
Olympus PCF-H190DI, PCF-H190DL, PCF-H190I, and PCF-H190L
Olympus PCF-H190TI and PCF-H190TL
Olympus PCF-HQ190I and PCF-HQ190L
Olympus PCF-PH190I and PCF-PH190L
Olympus PCF-Q180AI, PCF-Q180AL, and PCF-S
Olympus CF-HQ190L
And more

Have Any Lawsuits Been Filed for Colonoscopy Scope Infections?

Yes. In July 2026, a lawsuit was filed against Olympus and several subsidiary companies by a woman who developed a C. difficile infection after undergoing a colonoscopy in August 2024 with an Olympus CF-HQ190L colonoscope. She was hospitalized for 10 days, diagnosed with C. diff, and has had recurring infections ever since.

The lawsuit alleges the scope was defective because providers could not safely and effectively clean it even when they followed Olympus’s reprocessing instructions exactly.

The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on July 9, 2026 (Case Number: 1:2026-cv-08098).

Who May Qualify to File a Colonoscopy Infection Lawsuit?

Our lawyers are evaluating claims involving any of these procedures performed from 2018 onward:

Colonoscopy
Upper Endoscopy
ERCP (Duodenoscopes)
Bronchoscopy
Laparoscopy
Cystoscopy
Ureteroscopy
Hysteroscopy
Sinus Endoscopy

The procedure must also have been followed by at least one of these serious injuries:

Diagnosis of a “superbug” or drug-resistant infection such as CRE or E. coli within 180 days of the procedure
Organ or tissue damage, or perforation
Dislodging or breaking of the endoscopic device
Severe bleeding or hemorrhaging that required hospitalization or a blood transfusion
Sepsis or bacteremia (blood infection)
Bacterial infection requiring hospitalization
Pneumonia or severe pulmonary infection
Tuberculosis within 90 days of the procedure
HIV diagnosis within 90 days of the procedure
Death from an infection, a “superbug,” or a component failure

Deadlines apply and they vary by state and by claim type. Reaching out early is what keeps the records available while your claim is evaluated.

Do I Have a Colonoscopy Scope Infection Lawsuit?

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