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Objective: To analyze literature data about unnecessary exposure of pediatric emergency patients to ionizing agents from imaging examinations, nowadays and during times of COVID-19. Data sources: Between April and July 2020, articles were selected using the databases: Virtual Health Library, PubMed and Scientific Electronic Library Online. The following descriptors were used: [(pediatrics) AND (emergencies) AND (diagnostic imaging) AND (medical overuse)] and [(Coronavirus infections) OR (COVID-19) AND (pediatrics) AND (emergencies) AND (diagnostic imaging)]. Inclusion criteria were articles available in full, in Portuguese or English, published from 2016 to 2020 or from 2019 to 2020, and articles that covered the theme. Articles without adherence to the theme and duplicate texts in the databases were excluded. Data synthesis: 61 publications were identified, of which 17 were comprised in this review. Some imaging tests used in pediatric emergency departments increase the possibility of developing future malignancies in patients, since they emit ionizing radiation. There are clinical decision instruments that allow reducing unnecessary exam requests, avoiding over-medicalization, and hospital expenses. Moreover, with the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a growing concern about the overuse of imaging exams in the pediatric population, which highlights the problems pointed out by this review. Conclusions: It is necessary to improve hospital staff training, use clinical decision instruments and develop guidelines to reduce the number of exams required, allowing hospital cost savings; and reducing children’s exposure to ionizing agents.

Objective: interstitial lung disease comprises a group of lung diseases with wide pathophysiological varieties. This paper aims to report the video thoracoscopic surgical biopsy in patients with interstitial lung disease through a single minimal chest incision, without orotracheal intubation, without chest drainage, and without the use of neuromuscular blockers. Methods: this study is a series of 14 cases evaluated retrospectively, descriptively, where patients underwent a pulmonary surgical biopsy from January 2019 to January 2020. The patients included in the study had diffuse interstitial lung disease without a defined etiological diagnosis. Results: none of the patients had transoperative complications, there was no need for chest drainage in the postoperative period, and the patients pain, assessed using the verbal scale, had a mode of 2 (minimum value of 1 and maximum of 4) in the post immediate surgery and 1 (minimum value of 1 and maximum of 3) at the time of hospital discharge. The length of hospital stay was up to 24 hours, with 12 patients being discharged on the same day of hospitalization. Conclusion: therefore, it is concluded in this series of cases that the performance of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery procedures to perform lung biopsies, without orotracheal intubation, without chest drainage, and without the use of neuromuscular blockers, bring benefits to the patient without compromising his safety. Further larger studies are necessary to confirm the safety and efficiency of this method.

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need for Global Health (GH) understanding between medical science undergraduates and the need for new online teaching methods during social isolation. This paper aims to report the experience of an international webinar on the perception of medical science undergraduates from Brazil, Italy, France, and Switzerland about the Covid-19 pandemic. This activity allowed students comprehension of different realities faced by other countries, education on global epidemiology, comparison government and university maneuvers to handle the new coronavirus disease, and exchange of experiences among medical undergraduates concerning the ways of maintaining their mental well-being. Thereupon, it is necessary to implement GH activities within the medical curricula to promote a qualified education that addresses the needs of the digital and globalized world.

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Online learning has become a valuable teaching method given the Covid-19 Pandemic. It provides more agile and flexible access to information, allowing the connection of teachers and students independently of their geographical location. Yet, there are different challenges tied to this new reality that professors and students need to overcome. This paper aims to report the perspective of medical students on oncology Webinars that occurred before the Covid-19 pandemic. Four meetings were held via virtual platforms, in which students from a medical school in Paraná, Brazil, connected with master students from a university in Minas Gerais, Brazil, partner with a research laboratory and an American university. Thereupon, the Webinar added valuable contributions to the medical science undergraduates, improving their oncology knowledge and networking skills. However, it is necessary to understand and overcome barriers in medical teaching so that this new way of learning becomes more common and accessible.