Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Fecal Immunochemical Testing, Colonoscopy Services, and Colorectal Neoplasia Detection in a Large United States Community-based Population.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected clinical services globally, including colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and diagnostic testing. We investigated the pandemic's impact on fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening, colonoscopy utilization, and colorectal neoplasia detection across 21 medical centers in a large integrated health care organization. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients ages 18 to 89 years in 2019 and 2020 and measured changes in the numbers of mailed, completed, and positive FITs; colonoscopies; and cases of colorectal neoplasia detected by colonoscopy in 2020 vs 2019. RESULTS: FIT kit mailings ceased in mid-March through April 2020 but then rebounded and there was an 8.7% increase in kits mailed compared with 2019. With the later mailing of FIT kits, there were 9.0% fewer FITs completed and 10.1% fewer positive tests in 2020 vs 2019. Colonoscopy volumes declined 79.4% in April 2020 compared with April 2019 but recovered to near pre-pandemic volumes in September through December, resulting in a 26.9% decline in total colonoscopies performed in 2020. The number of patients diagnosed by colonoscopy with CRC and advanced adenoma declined by 8.7% and 26.9%, respectively, in 2020 vs 2019. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic led to fewer FIT screenings and colonoscopies in 2020 vs 2019; however, after the lifting of shelter-in-place orders, FIT screenings exceeded, and colonoscopy volumes nearly reached numbers from those same months in 2019. Overall, there was an 8.7% reduction in CRC cases diagnosed by colonoscopy in 2020. These data may help inform the development of strategies for CRC screening and diagnostic testing during future national emergencies.

Urological stone disease: a 5-year update of stone management using Hospital Episode Statistics.

OBJECTIVE: To reassess the trends in upper urinary tract (UUT) stone disease burden and management in the UK during the last 5 years. METHODS: The present paper is our third quinquennial analysis of trends in the management of renal stones in England. Data were collected using the Hospital Episode Statistics database for the years 2015-2020 inclusive. These were then analysed, summarized and presented. RESULTS: The number of UUT stone episodes increased by 2.2% from 86 742 in 2014-2015 to 88 632 in 2019-2020 but annual prevalence remained static at 0.14%. The number of UUT stone episodes in those of working age has remained static but increased by 9% for patients aged > 60 years (from 27 329 to 29 842). The number of shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) treatments decreased by 6.8%. There was a further increase in the use of ureteroscopy (URS) between 2015 and 2020 of 18.9%. Within this subgroup, flexible URS had the most rapid increase in use, with a rise of 20.4% from 7108 to 8558 recorded cases. Over the 20-year period from 2000 to 2020 there was a remarkable 257% increase in URS cases. There was a further decline in open surgery for UUT stone disease by 40%. Stone surgery day-case numbers have increased by 14.7% (from 31 014 to 35 566), with a corresponding decline in the number of bed days of 14.3%. Emergency cases increased by 40%, while elective cases saw a slight increase of 1.9%. CONCLUSION: The present study shows a plateauing in the prevalence of UUT stone disease in England in the last 5 years, with a move towards day-case procedures and an increase in the proportion of emergency work. For the first time in England, URS has overtaken SWL as the most common procedure for treating UUT stone disease, which might reflect patients' or physicians' preference for a more effective definitive treatment.

Prioritisation of catheterised patients for elective bladder outflow obstruction surgery in the current coronavirus disease 2019 era to reduce catheter-associated morbidity

Objectives:This study aimed to audit the waiting times for a transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) at our institution, and to evaluate the extent of catheter-associated morbidity in this population.Methods:This was a retrospective closed-loop audit, with cycle one between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2018 and cycle two between 1 October 2019 and 29 February 2020. Data collected included patient demographics, catheter status, catheter-associated presentations to accident and emergency (A&E), admissions and waiting times for TURP. The waiting-list form now has a catheter box, and a goal of 30 days from waitlisting to operation was set for those catheterised.Results:In cycle 1, 36% of the 181 patients were catheterised, and waited a median of 119 days (interquartile range (IQR) 59?163 days) for their TURP, while those not catheterised waited a median of 118 days (IQR 57.75?188.25 days). Catheterised patients presented to A&E 93 times, resulting in 13 admissions, compared to two presentations and zero admissions for those not catheterised. The median time from catheter insertion to first A&E attendance was 20 days (IQR 2?101 days). In cycle 2, 33% of the 55 patients were catheterised, with the median waiting-list time falling to 32 days (IQR 22?46 days) in those catheterised and 33 days (IQR 20?49 days) in those not catheterised. All 11 A&E attendances were from catheterised patients, with no admissions. The median time from insertion to first A&E attendance was nine days (IQR 4?40 days). Eighty-eight per cent of the waiting-list forms had appropriately ticked the catheter box.Conclusion:Our study shows that catheterised patients awaiting a TURP are more likely to have complications necessitating A&E attendance. Prioritisation of these patients on the waiting list for bladder outflow obstruction surgery may help to reduce catheter-associated morbidity.Level of evidence:Level 2c.