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Review
. 2020 Jul;32(5):723-731.
doi: 10.1111/den.13706. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

COVID-19 and gastrointestinal endoscopy: What should be taken into account?

Pieter Sinonquel  1   2 , Philip Roelandt  1 , Ingrid Demedts  1 , Laura Van Gerven  3 , Christophe Vandenbriele  4 , Alexander Wilmer  5 , Eric Van Wijngaerden  6 , Raf Bisschops  1   2
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19 and gastrointestinal endoscopy: What should be taken into account?

Pieter Sinonquel et al. Dig Endosc. 2020 Jul.

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.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; endoscopy; personal protective equipment; protection management.

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Conflict of interest statement

Authors declare no Conflict of Interests for this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a, b) Stepwise overview of the donning and doffing procedure in case of contact with a patient with a COVID‐19 positive or unknown/doubtful COVID‐19 status. Donning procedure (before entering the room): (1) disinfection of the hand, (2) put on long nitrile gloves, (3) put on the impermeable gown, (4) take a surgical hat, (5) FFP2/3 mask, (6) put on the goggles, (7) put on a face shield and (8) put on a second pair of short nitrile gloves. Doffing procedure (inside the room – disposable items): (i) take off the short nitrile gloves, (ii) take off the impermeable gown and (iii) remove the long nitrile gloves. Between every step disinfection of the hands is necessary. Before leaving the room a new pair of short nitrile gloves has to be put on as protection against possible skin transmission. Doffing procedure (outside the room – recyclable items): (i) take off the face shield, (ii) remove the goggles, (iii) remove the FFP2/3 mask (iv) take of the surgical hat and remove the second pair of short nitrile gloves. Between every step disinfection of the hands is necessary. The face shield, goggles and FFP2/3 mask should be collected for recycling.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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MeSH terms