The proposed algorithm for emergency endoscopy during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak

Abstract

Following the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in China, more than 10,765 patients tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 from February 18, 2020 to April 30, 2020 in South Korea. Performing emergency endoscopy is extremely challenging from the clinicians’ viewpoint during the viral outbreak. There are no available guidelines for emergency endoscopy in tertiary hospitals during this pandemic. We set up an algorithm as a guide for emergency endoscopy in patients presenting to the emergency room with bleeding, foreign body, or impending cholangitis. From February 18, 2020 to April 30, 2020 of outbreak, 130 patients underwent emergency endoscopy in our center. Owing to the simple and streamlined algorithm for performing emergency endoscopy, no endoscopy-related infection to other patients or medical workers was reported in our center.