Colonoscopy Infection Lawsuit | Defective Surgical Scope Investigation

If you developed a serious infection after a colonoscopy involving an Olympus scope, you may be able to pursue a product liability claim against the companies responsible for the device.

These cases involve allegations that reusable Olympus colonoscopes can retain bacteria or contaminated biological material when problems with the scope, its internal channels, repair, or reprocessing prevent the device from being adequately cleaned between patients.

Patients have reported postprocedure infection after procedures ranging from a routine screening colonoscopy to other diagnostic and therapeutic examinations, with some infections progressing to sepsis and requiring hospitalization.

Symptoms such as fever, persistent diarrhea, worsening abdominal discomfort, severe abdominal pain, chills, weakness, or confusion after a colonoscopy may require immediate medical attention.

A serious infection following a colonoscopy does not automatically prove that the Olympus device caused the illness, and attorneys must consider other risk factors such as recent antibiotic use, prior infection, hospitalization, and other healthcare exposures.

The investigation focuses on the specific scope used, whether it had a history of repair or reprocessing problems, the timing and type of infection, and whether medical and device records support contamination as the source.

Olympus has faced longstanding infection concerns involving reusable Olympus endoscopes and duodenoscopes, while more recent recalls and lawsuits have specifically raised contamination concerns involving certain Olympus colonoscope models.

Patients may face a higher risk of severe complications when an infection is not identified quickly, and TorHoerman Law is investigating claims involving people who developed serious infections after colonoscopy procedures performed with Olympus scopes.

How Contaminated Colonoscopes Can Transmit Bacteria

Reusable colonoscopes come into contact with stool, mucus, blood, and other biological material during every procedure, allowing bacteria to enter the device’s narrow internal channels.

If that material is not completely removed before the scope is reused, bacteria can remain inside the device and potentially be introduced into another patient’s gastrointestinal tract.

Damage inside the channels, retained moisture, incomplete cleaning, or ineffective disinfection can make contamination more difficult to eliminate.

Studies and FDA records have documented residual microorganisms, moisture, debris, and reprocessing problems involving reusable colonoscopes, including certain Olympus models.

Contamination can persist or develop when:

• Biological material remains in internal channels: blood, mucus, tissue, or fecal material can protect microorganisms from later disinfection.
• Channels are scratched or damaged: irregular internal surfaces can trap debris and make complete cleaning more difficult.
• Moisture remains after reprocessing: residual water can support bacterial survival and growth while a scope is stored.
• Manual cleaning is incomplete: internal channels must be brushed and flushed before high-level disinfection can work effectively.
• Disinfectant does not reach all internal surfaces: retained debris, device damage, or reprocessing problems can interfere with adequate exposure.
• Contaminated scopes are reused: bacteria remaining inside a patient-ready colonoscope may be carried into the next patient’s gastrointestinal tract during the procedure.

Infections after a colonoscopy can present differently depending on the bacteria involved and whether the infection remains in the gastrointestinal tract or spreads to the bloodstream.

Some mild discomfort, bloating, or cramping can occur after endoscopy or the removal of polyps, but persistent abdominal pain, fever, chills, watery diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, confusion, or a rapid heart rate can indicate a more serious complication.

If bacteria from contaminated reusable devices enter the colon during a procedure, they may cause gastrointestinal disease or spread beyond the digestive tract.

Organisms identified in colonoscope contamination studies and Olympus scope reports include E. coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas, C. diff, carbapenem-resistant bacteria, and Salmonella.

The noticeable symptoms of these infections vary widely, from diarrhea and abdominal cramping to fever, low blood pressure, altered mental status, and other signs of systemic infection.

Symptoms of infection can appear within 7 to 30 days post-colonoscopy.

Severe cases can result in infection-related hospitalization, sepsis, and damage to organs such as the kidneys and liver.

Infections and complications associated with contaminated colonoscopes may include:

• Sepsis and bloodstream infections: Bacteria that enter the bloodstream can produce a systemic infection that progresses to sepsis. Symptoms may include fever or abnormally low body temperature, chills, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, weakness, and dangerously low blood pressure; severe sepsis can lead to kidney, lung, liver, or other organ damage.
• C. Diff and Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infections: C. diff commonly causes persistent watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, dehydration, and inflammation of the colon. Drug-resistant organisms such as CRE and resistant strains of E. coli or Klebsiella can be more difficult to treat and may cause serious gastrointestinal, urinary, or bloodstream infections.
• Pseudomonas Infections: Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been recovered in endoscope contamination studies and has been associated with outbreaks involving inadequately reprocessed scopes. Infection can cause fever, chills, weakness, and bloodstream infection, with severe cases progressing to sepsis.
• Salmonella Infections: FDA adverse-event records have described Salmonella infection following a colonoscopy involving an Olympus colonoscope. Salmonella typically causes diarrhea, fever, nausea, and abdominal cramping, but invasive infection can spread beyond the intestines and require hospitalization.

What are the Rates of Infection After a Colonoscopy?

Infection after colonoscopy is uncommon overall, but reported rates vary depending on the type of procedure, patient population, medical facility, and length of follow-up.

A large U.S. study of ambulatory surgery centers found infection-related emergency department visits or unplanned hospital admissions within seven days at a rate of 1.1 per 1,000 screening colonoscopies.

The same study found a higher rate of 1.6 infections per 1,000 non-screening colonoscopies, which are more likely to involve patients undergoing evaluation or treatment for an existing medical condition.

A separate nationwide study of symptomatic patients who underwent colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy found that 0.37% developed an infection within 30 days, compared with 0.04% of matched patients who did not undergo either procedure.

Infection rates also varied considerably among individual ambulatory surgery centers, ranging from 0 to 115 per 1,000 screening colonoscopies and from 0 to 132 per 1,000 non-screening procedures, so the 115-per-1,000 figure represents the high end observed at particular facilities rather than the typical risk for a colonoscopy.

Older age was identified as one predictor of postendoscopic infection, and separate research found substantially higher overall 30-day complication rates among patients age 75 and older than among patients ages 50 to 74.

These studies measured infections occurring after colonoscopy and do not establish that a contaminated scope caused every infection included in the results.

For an Olympus scope claim, attorneys must determine whether the patient’s infection developed after the procedure and whether medical records, device information, reprocessing evidence, or other findings support the colonoscope as the source.

Olympus manufactures reusable video colonoscopes, including the CF-HQ190L and several PCF-series models, that contain internal working channels requiring cleaning, high-level disinfection, drying, and storage before the devices can be used on another patient.

A 2015 study specifically examining Olympus colonoscopes and gastroscopes found viable microorganisms in 64% of sampling encounters immediately after high-level disinfection, even though researchers observed staff following established reprocessing guidelines.

After overnight storage, 9% of the sampled scopes remained culture-positive, and researchers also detected protein, carbohydrate, hemoglobin, and other biological residue on some devices.

A separate 2016 study of patient-ready gastrointestinal endoscopes recovered viable bacteria from three of the five colonoscopes tested.

Investigators in that study identified contaminated rinse water as a possible source for one organism, so the results documented residual contamination without establishing that an Olympus design defect caused every positive culture.

Olympus recalled 15 PCF-series colonoscope models in 2023after determining that a post-repair channel-drying process had not been validated and that some scopes were returned with wet internal channels, which FDA said could permit contamination and create an infection risk.

Another 2023 recall involving certain PCF-H190L and PCF-H190DL colonoscopes addressed a repair defect that FDA said could interfere with effective reprocessing and expose patients to contaminated material and subsequent infection.

Olympus CF-HQ190L and PCF-Series Colonoscopes

Olympus CF-HQ190L and PCF-series colonoscopes are reusable video endoscopes used for screening, diagnosis, biopsy, polyp removal, and other lower gastrointestinal procedures.

These devices contain narrow internal channels that must be cleaned, disinfected, completely dried, and properly stored before they are used on another patient.

FDA records have identified reprocessing and repair problems affecting several Olympus colonoscope models, including defects that could leave moisture or contaminated material inside the device and increase the potential for infection.

Specific Olympus colonoscope models identified in recalls, studies, and current litigation include:

• CF-HQ190L: This Olympus colonoscope has been examined in scientific research involving reprocessed endoscopes and is also the model named in a 2026 federal product liability lawsuit alleging a serious C. diff infection after colonoscopy.
• PCF-H190L and PCF-H190DL: Certain repaired devices were recalled in 2023 after Olympus identified missing adhesive at the suction-channel mouthpiece. FDA stated that the problem could interfere with effective reprocessing and expose patients to contaminated material and subsequent infection.
• PCF-HQ190L and PCF-HQ190I: These models were among the 15 PCF-series colonoscopes included in a 2023 recall involving an unvalidated post-repair channel-drying process.
• PCF-Q180AL and other PCF models: The same 2023 action extended to additional Olympus PCF colonoscopes after some repaired devices were returned with wet internal channels; FDA stated that retained water could permit contamination and create a risk of infection.

Patients who developed serious infections after procedures involving Olympus scopes have filed product liability lawsuits alleging that contaminated reusable devices exposed them to dangerous bacteria.

In July 2026, a federal lawsuit filed in Illinois alleged that an Olympus CF-HQ190L colonoscope used during a 2024 colonoscopy caused a C. diff infection that later required a 10-day hospitalization.

The complaint alleges that defects in the colonoscope and its reprocessing instructions allowed biological material and bacteria to remain inside the device’s internal channels between patients.

Related Olympus scope infection lawsuits filed in 2026 involve other reusable gastrointestinal scopes and raise similar allegations concerning contamination, reprocessing, and inadequate warnings.

A June 2026 wrongful death lawsuit filed in Washington alleges that an Olympus TJF-Q190V duodenoscope transmitted a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) infection during an ERCP, followed by septic shock, organ failure, and death.

Another Olympus product liability case was moved to federal court in Pennsylvania in August 2026, adding to the number of individual scope-related claims being pursued against the manufacturer.

These cases are not part of an Olympus colonoscope MDL or class action, and TorHoerman Law is investigating whether patients who developed C. diff, sepsis, drug-resistant infections, or other serious illnesses after procedures involving Olympus colonoscopes may also have grounds to file an individual product liability lawsuit.

You may qualify for a colonoscopy infection lawsuit if you underwent a colonoscopy involving an Olympus scope and developed a serious infection that required treatment in an emergency room, hospitalization, or other significant medical care shortly after the procedure.

TorHoerman Law is currently reviewing claims involving patients who developed C. diff, sepsis, drug-resistant bacterial infections, and other serious illnesses after qualifying procedures, including cases where symptoms such as fever, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, or rectal bleeding progressed into a life-threatening condition.

Medical records from your healthcare provider and medical team can help establish when the procedure occurred, when symptoms began, what infection was diagnosed, and whether an Olympus colonoscope was used.

Attorneys must also consider other possible causes and risk factors, including recent antibiotic use, prior common infections, additional healthcare procedures, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, or other conditions that may affect the gastrointestinal tract or immune system.

A product liability claim may be stronger when the evidence connects the infection to a specific Olympus scope, its repair or reprocessing history, or a documented device problem rather than to unrelated screening tests or other medical exposures.

Some colonoscopy cases may also involve informed consent allegations asserting that a patient was not adequately informed about relevant risks, although the Olympus claims TorHoerman Law is investigating primarily concern whether allegedly defective or contaminated scopes caused serious infections.

Filing deadlines vary significantly by jurisdiction and may begin from the date of the procedure, the date the injury was discovered, or another point established by state law, so patients who suspect a scope-related infection should have the applicable statute of limitations reviewed as soon as possible.

Evidence in a Colonoscopy Infection Claim

A colonoscopy infection claim requires evidence connecting the procedure and specific scope to the infection while accounting for other possible sources of exposure.

Attorneys typically review the timing of the colonoscopy, laboratory-confirmed diagnosis, hospitalization, medical history, and available device records to determine whether a contaminated Olympus colonoscope may have contributed to the illness.

Evidence that may support a claim includes:

• Colonoscopy and procedure records: show when and where the procedure occurred and may identify the scope used.
• Device identification records: document the manufacturer, model, and serial number of the colonoscope.
• Laboratory results: confirm C. diff, bloodstream infection, or another bacterial diagnosis.
• Hospital and emergency room records: document the severity of the infection, hospitalization, and treatment provided.
• Medical records showing symptom onset: establish when symptoms began in relation to the colonoscopy.
• Antibiotic and prior healthcare history: help identify or rule out other potential sources of infection.
• Facility reprocessing records: document how the colonoscope was cleaned, disinfected, dried, and stored.
• Scope maintenance and repair records: may show prior damage, repairs, recalls, or known reprocessing concerns.
• Infection-control reports or patient notifications: may document contamination concerns or other infections associated with the facility or device.

Potential Compensation in a Colonoscopy Infection Lawsuit

Damages are the financial and non-financial losses a patient may recover when a defective or contaminated colonoscope is shown to have caused a serious infection.

The value of a colonoscopy infection claim depends on factors such as the severity of the infection, length of hospitalization, treatment required, lost income, and whether the patient developed permanent complications.

Attorneys may also consider recurrent infections, future medical needs, and the effect of the illness on the patient’s ability to work and complete normal daily activities.

Recoverable damages vary by case and depend on the available evidence and the law governing the claim.

Potential compensation in a colonoscopy infection lawsuit may include:

• Medical expenses: emergency care, hospitalization, diagnostic testing, medications, specialist treatment, and follow-up care.
• Future medical costs: expected treatment for recurrent infections, gastrointestinal complications, organ damage, or other lasting health problems.
• Lost wages: income lost while the patient was hospitalized, receiving treatment, or recovering.
• Reduced earning capacity: future income losses when permanent complications affect the patient’s ability to work.
• Pain and suffering: physical pain, illness, discomfort, and disruption caused by the infection and treatment.
• Emotional distress: psychological effects associated with serious illness, hospitalization, or recurrent infection.
• Permanent impairment: lasting bowel problems, organ damage, or other long-term complications.
• Wrongful death damages: compensation that may be available to qualifying family members when an infection or related complication results in death.

TorHoerman Law is investigating claims involving patients who developed C. diff, sepsis, drug-resistant bacterial infections, and other serious illnesses after colonoscopy procedures performed with Olympus scopes.

Our attorneys can review your procedure records, infection diagnosis, hospitalization history, scope information, and other available evidence to determine whether a contaminated or defective colonoscope may have contributed to your illness.

We also evaluate other possible sources of infection and the timing of your symptoms before determining whether the evidence supports a product liability claim.

If you or a loved one developed a serious infection after a colonoscopy involving an Olympus scope, contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

Colonoscopy infection claims are handled on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay attorney fees unless compensation is recovered for you.

You can also use the chat feature on this page for a free case review and to find out whether you may qualify for a colonoscopy infection lawsuit.