: Do we need pcr test before all endoscopies in covid days I am an anaesthetist, patients of endoscopy department are ambulatory patients, they dont want to wait the test results, is the pcr test necessary for these patients

Vote Up Vote Down   0 Reactions

Login to give Reaction!

Currently Turkey has about 1600 new cases of COVID-19 daily and its pandemic curve is still exponentially rising though also flattening. There is highly likely to be ongoing community transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

The ESGE has made a number of recommendations for the European Community. This include risk stratification. One of the components of a low risk is a negative PCR test. The document goes on to describe how endoscopy is carried out, and the infection control with respect to risk stratification class of the patient noting that endoscopy is an aerosol-generating event and an infected patient will contaminate the whole endoscopy suite.

If your patients are unwilling to undergo risk stratification then sounds unacceptable and the procedure should be declined for them. Your hospital needs a set of policies and procedures in place to manage risk during this pandemic.
www.esge.com/assets/downloads/pdfs/general/ESGE_ESGENA_Position_Statement_gastrointestinal_endoscopy_COVID_19_pandemic.pdf