Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on colonoscopy results - an overview.

<b>Aim:</b> Colorectal cancers are common cancers. Colonoscopy procedure, which is applied in the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease, has a very important role. In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic period on our colonoscopic procedures. </br></br> <b> Material and methods:</b> In this observational study, the data of the patients who underwent colonoscopy in our General Surgery Endoscopy Unit, between March 11, 2019 and March 12, 2021 were scanned retrospectively. Patients under 18 years of age were excluded. The patients were divided into 2 groups. 1. Group patients between 11 March 2019-11 March 2020; patients in the pre-COVID-19 period, Group 2, on March 12, 2020-March 12, 2021; Grouped as the COVID-19 era. </br></br> <b>Results:</b> Data of 8285 patients were analyzed. A total of 4889 patients in Group 1 and 3396 patients in Group 2 were included in the study. The detection of precancerous polyps between the groups was found to be significantly higher in group 1 (p < 0.05) (4.3% vs 2.1). Similarly, the presence of precancerous polyps over the age of 65 was found to be significantly higher in the pre-covid group. In group 1, no significant difference was found in the evaluation of cancer patients according to gender (p > 0.05) (F/M: 1.2%/1.6%). In group 2, cancer patients were found to be significantly higher in males. </br></br> <b>Conclusions:</b> The COVID-19 pandemic has had negative effects in many areas, as well as on our colonoscopic procedures. Experienced centers continue to work to minimize these negative effects.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy instead of laparoscopy to treat acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic period: single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the accepted standard treatment for acute cholecystitis (AC) in patients eligible for surgery. Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) can provide a permanent treatment for high-risk patients for surgery or act as a bridge for later surgical treatment. This study is an evaluation of the use of PC during the current coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at a single hospital. METHODS: Fifty patients with AC were admitted as of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey through June 2020. Patients with pancreatitis, cholangitis, and/or incomplete data were excluded from the study. Data of the remaining 36 patients included in the study were recorded and a descriptive statistical analysis was performed. The patients were divided into three groups: PC (n=14), only conservative treatment with antibiotherapy (OC) (n=14), and LC (n=8). The findings were compared with a group of 70 similar patients from the pre-pandemic period. RESULTS: The mean age of the pandemic period patients was 53 years (range: 26-78 years). The female/male ratio was 1.11. PC was preferred in eight (11%) patients in the same period of the previous year, whereas 14 (39%) patients underwent PC in the pandemic period. Four of the 36 pandemic patients were positive for COVID-19, including one member of the PC group. There was one (7.1%) mortality in the pandemic-period PC group due to cardiac arrest. The length of hospital stay between the groups based on the type of treatment was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: LC is not recommended during the pandemic period; PC can be an effective and safe alternative for the treatment of AC.