To Assess the Efficacy of Safety Measures Adopted During Endoscopy in the Corona Virus Disease-19 Era for Health Care Professionals-A Single-centre Tertiary Care Hospital Experience

Overview

Journal Indian J Gastroenterol

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2021 Aug 3

PMID 34342866

Citations 2

Authors

Mohan Ramchandani

Hardik Rughwani

Harsh Vardhan Tevethia

Sundeep Lakhtakia

Rakesh Kalapala

Aniruddha Pratap Singh

Pradev Inavolu

Shujaath Asif

Azimudin Haja

Nitin Jagtap

Zaheer Nabi

Deepika Gujjarlapudi

Y V Sadhana

Pragathi Kottapalli

Naveen Chander Reddy

Anuradha Sekaran

Santosh Darishetty

D Nageshwar Reddy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Objectives: During Corona Virus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, it has been estimated that approximately 10% of health care professionals (HCPs) have been diagnosed contacting COVID-19. Aerosol-generating procedures have led to change in safety practices among HCPs. We thus evaluated the efficacy of the endoscopic safety measures among HCPs posted in the endoscopy unit.

Methods: In this retrospective analysis, all endoscopic procedures performed over a period of 4 months, from 1 April to 31 July 2020 were included. We noted indications and number of COVID-positive procedures as well as comprehensive screening of HCPs posted in our endoscopy unit. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence and outcome of COVID-19 among HCPs.

Results: Three thousand four hundred and sixty procedures were included in the analysis. Indications were divided as urgent (n = 190, 5.49%), semi-urgent (n = 553, 16%) and non-urgent group (n = 2717, 78.52%). Thirty-four procedures (0.98%) were done on diagnosed COVID-19 patients. The most common indications were gastrointestinal bleed (n = 12/34, 35.30%) followed by biliary sepsis (n = 9/34, 26.5%). Among the HCPs, the incidence of symptomatic COVID-19 was 6.58% (n = 5/76). All HCPs recovered with excellent outcomes. A comprehensive screening showed 7.90% (n = 6/76) HCPs having Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody in their sera.

Conclusion: Addition of safety measures in endoscopy leads to low risk of transmission among HCPs.

Citing Articles

[COVID-19 and endoscopy services].

Hollerbach S, Rommele C, Muzalyova A, Messmann H Gastroenterologe. 2022; 17(1):22-33.

PMID: 35035585 PMC: 8749920. DOI: 10.1007/s11377-021-00582-8.

Editorial commentary on Indian Journal of Gastroenterology-July-August 2021.

Limdi J Indian J Gastroenterol. 2021; 40(4):349-352.

PMID: 34131868 PMC: 8205649. DOI: 10.1007/s12664-021-01205-4.

References

Zhao J, Yuan Q, Wang H, Liu W, Liao X, Su Y . Antibody Responses to SARS-CoV-2 in Patients With Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019. Clin Infect Dis. 2020; 71(16):2027-2034. PMC: 7184337. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa344. View

Workman A, Welling D, Carter B, Curry W, Holbrook E, Gray S . Endonasal instrumentation and aerosolization risk in the era of COVID-19: simulation, literature review, and proposed mitigation strategies. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2020; 10(7):798-805. DOI: 10.1002/alr.22577. View

Remuzzi A, Remuzzi G . COVID-19 and Italy: what next?. Lancet. 2020; 395(10231):1225-1228. PMC: 7102589. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30627-9. View

Goenka M, Afzalpurkar S, Ghoshal U, Guda N, Reddy N . Impact of COVID-19 on gastrointestinal endoscopy practice in India: a cross-sectional study. Endosc Int Open. 2020; 8(7):E974-E979. PMC: 7302931. DOI: 10.1055/a-1181-8391. View

Leung N, Chu D, Shiu E, Chan K, McDevitt J, Hau B . Respiratory virus shedding in exhaled breath and efficacy of face masks. Nat Med. 2020; 26(5):676-680. PMC: 8238571. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-020-0843-2. View

Prokop M, van Everdingen W, van Rees Vellinga T, Quarles van Ufford H, Stoger L, Beenen L . CO-RADS: A Categorical CT Assessment Scheme for Patients Suspected of Having COVID-19-Definition and Evaluation. Radiology. 2020; 296(2):E97-E104. PMC: 7233402. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2020201473. View

Chiu P, Ng S, Inoue H, Reddy D, Ling Hu E, Cho J . Practice of endoscopy during COVID-19 pandemic: position statements of the Asian Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy (APSDE-COVID statements). Gut. 2020; 69(6):991-996. PMC: 7211066. DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321185. View

Aguila E, Cua I, Dumagpi J, Francisco C, Raymundo N, Sy-Janairo M . COVID-19 and its effects on the digestive system and endoscopy practice. JGH Open. 2020; 4(3):324-331. PMC: 7273707. DOI: 10.1002/jgh3.12358. View

Hennessy B, Vicari J, Bernstein B, Chapman F, Khaykis I, Littenberg G . Guidance for resuming GI endoscopy and practice operations after the COVID-19 pandemic. Gastrointest Endosc. 2020; 92(3):743-747.e1. PMC: 7211716. DOI: 10.1016/j.gie.2020.05.006. View

10.

Guan W, Ni Z, Hu Y, Liang W, Ou C, He J . Clinical Characteristics of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in China. N Engl J Med. 2020; 382(18):1708-1720. PMC: 7092819. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2002032. View

11.

Gralnek I, Hassan C, Beilenhoff U, Antonelli G, Ebigbo A, Pellise M . ESGE and ESGENA Position Statement on gastrointestinal endoscopy and the COVID-19 pandemic. Endoscopy. 2020; 52(6):483-490. PMC: 7295280. DOI: 10.1055/a-1155-6229. View

12.

Li B, Li X, Wang Y, Han Y, Wang Y, Wang C . Diagnostic value and key features of computed tomography in Coronavirus Disease 2019. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020; 9(1):787-793. PMC: 7191895. DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1750307. View

13.

Sinonquel P, Roelandt P, Demedts I, Van Gerven L, Vandenbriele C, Wilmer A . COVID-19 and gastrointestinal endoscopy: What should be taken into account?. Dig Endosc. 2020; 32(5):723-731. PMC: 7267439. DOI: 10.1111/den.13706. View

14.

Philip M, Lakhtakia S, Aggarwal R, Madan K, Saraswat V, Makharia G . Joint Guidance from SGEI, ISG and INASL for Gastroenterologists and Gastrointestinal Endoscopists on the Prevention, Care, and Management of Patients With COVID-19. J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2020; 10(3):266-270. PMC: 7195368. DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2020.04.001. View

15.

Dolinger M, Kumta N, Greenwald D, Dubinsky M . Outcomes of Universal Preprocedure Coronavirus Disease 2019 Testing Before Endoscopy in a Tertiary Care Center in New York City. Gastroenterology. 2020; 159(5):1962-1964. PMC: 7365114. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2020.07.015. View

16.

. American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: guidance for trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gastrointest Endosc. 2020; 92(3):748-753. PMC: 7261104. DOI: 10.1016/j.gie.2020.05.032. View

17.

Gines A, Fernandez-Esparrach G, Pellise M, Sendino O, Balaguer F, Llach J . Critical importance of early introduction of prevention measures for SARS-CoV-2 infection in endoscopy units. Gastrointest Endosc. 2020; 92(4):936-937. PMC: 7831867. DOI: 10.1016/j.gie.2020.06.023. View

18.

Sabbagh L, Huertas M, Preciado J, Sabbagh D . New protection barrier for endoscopic procedures in the era of pandemic COVID-19. VideoGIE. 2020; 5(12):614-617. PMC: 7218364. DOI: 10.1016/j.vgie.2020.05.006. View

19.

Repici A, Aragona G, Cengia G, Cantu P, Spadaccini M, Maselli R . Low risk of COVID-19 transmission in GI endoscopy. Gut. 2020; 69(11):1925-1927. DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2020-321341. View

20.

Castro Filho E, Castro R, Fernandes F, Pereira G, Perazzo H . Gastrointestinal endoscopy during the COVID-19 pandemic: an updated review of guidelines and statements from international and national societies. Gastrointest Endosc. 2020; 92(2):440-445.e6. PMC: 7130800. DOI: 10.1016/j.gie.2020.03.3854. View