German bronchoscopy unit readiness for the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide survey.

ABSTRACT: The worldwide impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is unprecedented. Among the aerosol generating procedures, bronchoscopy in particular is an indispensable diagnostic and therapeutic tool that comes with a high risk of infection. Therefore, national societies have issued guidance statements. However, the individual ability of bronchoscopy units to follow these recommendations is largely unknown. We conducted a nationwide survey from 1 April 2020 to 7 April 2020 to which 218 German endoscopy units, 105 solely bronchoscopy and 113 interdisciplinary, responded. The survey was distributed electronically via the German Respiratory Society. While 17% of units did not cancel any interventions, 16% cancelled >80% of their interventions. 73% were unable to completely separate

SUBMITTER: Heidemann CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7456647 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature