Interim Guidance for Urodynamic Practice during COVID-19 Pandemic

Safe urodynamic practices in times of COVID-19: What can be accomplished and what can be added?

AIM

To present feedback, after applying national and international urodynamic study (UDS) recommendations for safe practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We created a checklist to assess the feasibility of performing UDS recommendations for safe practice during the COVID-19 pandemic from the first week of May 2021 to the last week of July 2021.

RESULTS

One hundred patients were analyzed during the study period. We observed that all preventive recommendations for the steps that precede UDS could be followed in full. However, some guidelines for performing the exam were not feasible in all patients. We have successfully adopted other safety measures for all patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely persist for several more years. We believe that continuous improvement, revision, and updating of existing protocols and guidelines for the safe practice of UDS in times of COVID-19, as we propose in this study, should be encouraged.

Triaging urological surgeries to cope with the coronavirus-19 pandemic

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to strains on hospital resources and difficulties in safely and effectively triaging surgical procedures. In this article, we discuss the important considerations for triaging urologic surgeries during a global pandemic, mitigating factors on how to perform surgeries safely, and general guidelines for specific surgeries.

RECENT FINDINGS

Many urological procedures have been cut back due to the pandemic, with benign disease states being most affected whereas oncology cases affected least. Current recommendations in urology triage life-threatening conditions, or conditions that may lead to life-threatening ailments as a priority for treatment during the pandemic. Additionally, published recommendations have been put forth recommending all surgical patients be screened for COVID-19 to protect staff, prevent disease dissemination, and to educate patients on worse outcomes that can occur if infected with COVID-19 in the postoperative period.

SUMMARY

COVID-19 has caused worldwide shortages of healthcare resources and increased the need to ethically triage resources to adequately treat the urologic community. These resource limitations have led to increased wait times and cancellations of many urology surgeries that are considered 'elective'.

An evidence-based perspective on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing the COVID-19 pandemic, has had an enormous effect on conventional clinical practice. Telemedicine has emerged as critical to the provision of healthcare services when reducing the transmission of COVID-19 among patients, families, and clinicians. It has been an essential tool for continuing care for patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) during the COVID-19 pandemic and has been the link between socially distant patient contact. The aim of this perspective paper was to identify the strengths and limitations of technology-based care focusing on literature linked to patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We search PubMed and CINHAL Plus for grey literature and secondary research on LUTS and telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Publications dated between the year March 2020 and March 2021were searched. We gathered key specialist opinions in the field of LUTS from several countries around the world, including the countries that had been hit significantly with COVID-19. This perspective paper proposes that there is evidence to support the use of modern technology to facilitate continued healthcare services for patients with LUTS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine has been recognised a crucial digital tool for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up appointments during a time of social distancing. Although there are many advantages of telemedicine, the older adult population and those economically disadvantaged with technology may not benefit from technology-based healthcare. The available literature on telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be successful in the management of some patients with LUTS. It is certain that the COVID-19 pandemic has given telemedicine a significant drive for implementation now and in the immediate future. Robust data on long-term efficacy and safety of telemedicine is required to ensure there are governance protocols embedded when looking after patients with LUTS.