Analysis of Digestive Endoscopic Results During COVID-19

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the necessity and safety of digestive endoscopy during the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study method was used to collect patients’ data from the endoscopy center of the Civil Aviation General Hospital of China from February 1 to May 31, 2020, as the observation group. The patients’ data of endoscopic diagnosis and treatment during the same period in 2019 were used as a control group, to compare the differences in the number of diagnosis and treatment and the detection rate of gastrointestinal diseases in the two groups. At the same time, patients and related staff were followed up for the situation of new infection. RESULTS: During the epidemic, our endoscopy center conducted a total of 1,808 cases of endoscopic operations and 5,903 cases in the control group. The amount of endoscopic work during the epidemic period was 30.63% in the same period last year. During the epidemic, 26 patients underwent endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR)/endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) treatment, 26 patients underwent ERCP, and 18 patients underwent gastrointestinal stent implantation. In the control group, 273 patients underwent EMR/ESD, 17 underwent ERCP, and 16 underwent gastrointestinal stenting. During COVID-19, compared with the same period last year, the detection rates of peptic ulcer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, and rectal cancer were significantly higher (χ(2) = 4.482, P = 0.034; χ(2) = 5.223, P = 0.006; χ(2) = 2.329, P = 0.041; χ(2) = 8.755, P = 0.003; and χ(2) = 5.136, P = 0.023). Through telephone follow-up, novel coronavirus nucleic acid detection and blood antibody detection, no patients or medical staff were infected with the novel coronavirus. CONCLUSION: During COVID-19, the number of digestive endoscopic operations decreased significantly compared with the same period last year, but the detection rate of various diseases of the digestive tract increased significantly. On the basis of strict prevention and control, orderly recovery of endoscopic work is essential.