Yield and implications of pre-procedural COVID-19 pcr testing on routine endoscopic practice

Abstract

In response to the Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, endoscopic procedures in hospitalbased or freestanding facilities were cancelled or delayed.1 Accordingly, endoscopy units have had to act rapidly to protect both staff and patients, weighing the safety of performing urgent procedures against the risk of aerosolization. Although, various gastroenterological societies have issued guidance, these recommendations have in some cases been unclear, based on expert opinion rather than empiric evidence, and incongruent. As a result, the practice of reopening endoscopic facilities has been variable, and not evidence-based. This has been further compounded by widespread variations in COVID-19 testing availability and difficulties in applying universal recommendations to multiple practice settings. To fill the knowledge gap in this area, we sought to describe our experience with resuming endoscopy using a two-step approach (patient screening followed by COVID-19 testing) in order to provide needed data for other practices weighing the risks and benefits of resuming endoscopic procedures.