ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The COVID-19 outbreak has reorganized surgical team conditions regarding endoscopy. The number of interventions has been reduced, the number of healthcare professionals must be limited, and both the patients and physicians are more protected than ever. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the highest peak of contagion in Colombia, endoscopy, colonoscopy, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy were performed using a low-cost disposable device. A total of 1388 procedures were performed. Every patient was assessed for symptoms via a telephone call, at the health center, and after the procedure, following specific attention routes. RESULTS: After procedure follow-up, no positive cases of COVID-19 were noted. CONCLUSION: The methodology reduced the risk of infection during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Endoscopy , Telemedicine , COVID-19/prevention & control , Colombia , Disposable Equipment , Endoscopy/instrumentation , Endoscopy/methods , Humans , PandemicsABSTRACT
Los procedimientos endoscópicos, al estar asociados a la exposición de la vía aérea superior, tienen un mayor riesgo de transmisión del virus SARS-CoV-2;por esta razón, es necesario el planteamiento de in-tervenciones para atenuar o eliminar la exposición a éste. En este artículo nos permitimos presentar una estrategia de mitigación de bajo costo, ya que con el progreso de la pandemia se podría estar en un estado de austeridad de recursos económicos, lo cual haría estos dispositivos totalmente válidos.(AU)Endoscopic procedures, as they are associated with exposure of the upper airway, have a higher risk of transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus;so, it is necessary to consider interventions to mitigate or eliminate ex-posure to it. In this article, we allow ourselves to present a low-cost mitigation strategy, since with the progress of the pandemic it could be in a state of austerity of economic resources, making these devices totally valid.(AU)