COVID‐19 and gastrointestinal endoscopy: What should be taken into account?
Pieter Sinonquel, Philip Roelandt, Ingrid Demedts, Laura Van Gerven, Christophe Vandenbriele, Alexander Wilmer, Eric Van Wijngaerden, Raf Bisschops
Abstract
On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a subsequent impact on the entire world and health care system. Since the causing Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 houses in the aerodigestive tract, activities in the gastrointestinal outpatient clinic and endoscopy unit should be limited to emergencies only. Health care professionals are faced with the need to perform endoscopic or endoluminal emergency procedures in patients with a confirmed positive or unknown COVID-19 status. With this report, we aim to provide recommendations and practical relevant information for gastroenterologists based on the limited amount of available data and local experience, to guarantee a high-quality patient care and adequate infection prevention in the gastroenterology clinic.