• ortho-phtalalaldhyde
• disinfectant

Ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) is an aromatic dialdehyde that has largely replaced glutaraldehyde as a new high-level disinfectant for heat-sensitive medical devices, including endoscopes. It is a low-molecular-weight chemical with in vivo dermal and respiratory sensitising properties.1 ,2 Reports of immunological reactions have been reported in workers exposed to OPA-disinfected cystocopes.3

We describe the case of a 55-year-old woman who consulted at the emergency department with dyspnoea, wheezing, conjunctival redness and low peak expiratory flow. She had been promoted to the endoscopic sterilisation service of a regional hospital 2 months earlier, where OPA (Cidex OPA) was used for disinfection of endoscopes. Symptoms …