Indications for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The global pandemic due to COVID-19 presents an unprecedented challenge to mankind including healthcare providers. Many COVID-19 infected patients may present with gastrointestinal symptoms. Endoscopic services may be required in complicated COVID-19 infected or suspected patients. In addition, resource allocation would demand judicious use of endoscopy services. There is a definite risk of transmission of COVID-19 during endoscopy to healthcare professionals. We recommend that only emergency and life-saving endoscopic procedures should be performed during COVID-19 pandemic, and semi-elective procedures should be performed after careful consideration. All routine endoscopy procedures should be deferred till normal hospital services resume. For emergency endoscopy procedures, prescreening of patients is critical to avoid nosocomial transmission. To prevent cross-infection among healthcare professionals, strict infection control measures should be practiced in endoscopy suite while providing essential endoscopic services to the patients.