Indications for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The global pandemic due to COVID-19 presents an unprecedented challenge to mankind including healthcare providers. Many COVID-19 infected patients may present with gastrointestinal symptoms. Endoscopic services may be required in complicated COVID-19 infected or suspected patients. In addition, resource allocation would demand judicious use of endoscopy services. There is a definite risk of transmission of COVID-19 during endoscopy to healthcare professionals. We recommend that only emergency and life-saving endoscopic procedures should be performed during COVID-19 pandemic, and semi-elective procedures should be performed after careful consideration. All routine endoscopy procedures should be deferred till normal hospital services resume. For emergency endoscopy procedures, prescreening of patients is critical to avoid nosocomial transmission. To prevent cross-infection among healthcare professionals, strict infection control measures should be practiced in endoscopy suite while providing essential endoscopic services to the patients.

How has academia responded to the urgent needs created by COVID-19? A multi-level global, regional and national analysis

“…Such a pattern can also be observed in the disciplinary distribution of India in Appendix A2. Those papers mainly discussed techniques and practice of gastrointestinal endoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic, since the aerosol-generating nature of procedures and the presence of virus particles in stool samples of infected persons may lead to the transmission of virus [68][69][70] . For the low group, the high concern in the field of public health is the most apparent feature.…”

Best of the Best Articles of 2020

“…Three best articles of that issue were "2019 novel coronavirus infection: gastrointestinal manifestations" by Samanta et al, 7 "Risk of COVID-19 transmission during gastrointestinal endoscopy" by Rana, 8 and "Indications for gastrointestinal endoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic" by Gunjan and Garg. 9 Other best review articles published in the Year 2020 gave a unique experience to each and every individual of our society. It taught us some of the unknown and unfamiliar concepts such as "social distancing," "lockdowns," "virtual meetings," "mask mandates," and "second wave."…”

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy during COVID: Do Some, Leave Most

“…4,10 Similar guidelines were published during SARS outbreak in 2003. 6 In this issue of JDE, Gunjan and Garg 11 have reviewed the subject eloquently. These guidelines serve as a template to improve safety of patient and HCWs, avoidance of hospital-acquired infection, rational use of PPEs, and rational use of endoscopic procedures.…”