Significant variations across European centres in implementing recommended guidelines for the paediatric gastroenterology endoscopy suite during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Athiana I, Légeret C, Bontems P, Dall'Oglio L, De Angelis P, Dias JA, Hauser B, Homan M, Narula P, Norsa L, Oliva S, Papadopoulou A, Romano C, Thomson M, Vila-Miravet V, Furlano RI
JPGN Rep 2 (3) e061 [2021-08-00; online 2021-05-27]
The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) published recommendations regarding protection for the paediatric endoscopist during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.The aim of this survey was to investigate whether European paediatric gastroenterology centres applied the recommendations and how this extraordinary situation was handled by the different centres. Twelve paediatric European gastroenterology centres participated. Nine centres (75%) screened their patients for possible COVID-19 infection before the procedure, the same amount of hospitals changed their practice based on the ESPGHAN recommendations. Six-seven percentage of the centres reduced the staff in the endoscopy suite, 83% of the units used FFP2/3 masks and protective goggles during the procedure and 75% wore waterproof gowns. Uniform guidelines could not be applied by all European hospitals at a certain time point of the viral spread, as different regions of Europe were not only affected differently by COVID-19, but also had different access to personal protective equipment.
PubMed 34192294
DOI 10.1097/PG9.0000000000000061
Crossref 10.1097/PG9.0000000000000061