Gastroenterology Societies Issue Recommendations on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment
Klaus Mergener, MD, PhD, FASGE, reviewing joint gastroenterology society message on COVID-19 use of personal protective equipment. Gastrointest Endosc 2020 April 2.
The GI societies have issued joint recommendations on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in GI endoscopy. The key takeaways are as follows:
- All endoscopic procedures should be considered aerosol-generating procedures.
- More than 40% of all SARS-CoV-2 infections may be transmitted in the presymptomatic phase. As the pandemic progresses, all patients undergoing GI endoscopy should be considered at high risk for being infectious.
- Virus transmission occurs mainly through aerosolized droplets from infected patients via coughing; the potential for fecal-oral transmission remains a concern.
- Hand hygiene with soap and water, or with a hand sanitizer containing >60% alcohol, is of paramount importance and needs to be emphasized and practiced.
- All members of the endoscopy team should wear N95 respirators (or devices with equivalent or higher filtration rates) for all endoscopic procedures on infected patients and those with high risk of exposure. All individuals need to have their N95 masks fitted prior to first use.
- The correct sequence of putting on and taking off PPE is critical and needs practice.
- Elective procedures should be postponed and staffing of endoscopy rooms reduced as much as feasible to conserve PPE and other resources.
- Reuse of N95 masks may be necessary in the event of resource shortages. Strategies for cleaning and reprocessing of respirators have been proposed.
COMMENT
In discussions with practice and hospital administrators, GI endoscopists can use this comprehensive set of PPE recommendations to emphasize the critical importance of receiving the appropriate personal protective equipment for all members of the endoscopy team in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Note to readers: At the time we reviewed this paper, its publisher noted that it was not in final form and that subsequent changes might be made.
Klaus Mergener, MD, PhD, FASGE
CITATION(S)
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, et al. Joint gastroenterology society message: COVID-19 use of personal protective equipment in GI endoscopy. Gastrointest Endosc 2020 April 2. (Epub ahead of print) (Joint message)
