key: cord-0909622-fbdn9iwi
authors: Liu, Xin-Yang; Cai, Ming-Yan; Wang, Ping; Zhou, Ping-Hong
title: How to manage an endoscopy unit during a COVID-19 pandemic
date: 2020-05-11
journal: VideoGIE
DOI: 10.1016/j.vgie.2020.03.007
sha: e5895d36e3ae947dbbff0da8a4bf97dab5bb180e
doc_id: 909622
cord_uid: fbdn9iwi

nan

How to manage an endoscopy unit during a COVID-19 pandemic Xin-Yang Liu, MD, MPH, Ming-Yan Cai, MD, PhD, Ping Wang, BScN, Ping-Hong Zhou, MD, PhD COVID-19 has become a global public health concern. 1 Because of potential aerosol transmission, GI endoscopy is considered a high-risk procedure during this pandemic. 2 However, it is irrational to stop all endoscopic procedures. Instead, for a careful trade-off between potential risk of hospital infection and performance of lifesaving procedures, the selection of indications for emergency endoscopy cannot be overemphasized; necessary endoscopic procedures should be performed with patients and healthcare providers all well protected. Preventing COVID-19 transmission in endoscopy units is an important problem that faces many gastroenterology departments.

Video 1 (available online at www.VideoGIE.org/) shows how to manage an endoscopy unit during the COVID-19 pandemic, with specific details on workflow, screening of staff, screening of patients, management in preprocedure areas and endoscopy rooms, postprocedural management, environment disinfection, endoscopy disinfection, and patient follow-up. We also provide details on how to put on and remove personal protective equipment (Fig. 1) .

In conclusion, the importance of an epidemiologic survey and screening of patients and staff cannot be overemphasized during the pandemic. In addition to adequate personal protective equipment, hand hygiene and compliance with protocols are important. Special caution should be taken to prevent transmission among medical staff. Our success in preventing endoscopy unit transmission of COVID-19 is dependent on every team member.

All authors disclosed no financial relationships.

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Figure 1. Steps of wearing and removing personal protective equipment during COVID-19