COVID 19 pandemic and minimally invasive gynecology: consequences and future perspectives

Abstract

The extent of the 2020 pandemic not only extends to the infected patients but also to patients who have been waiting for medical procedures. Reevaluation of the healthcare system is important in order to help assist the needs of intensive care units. The urgency of the gynaecological cases should be aligned based on surgical interventions and minimally invasive methods should be preferred. This will not endanger professional and other resource demands of ICUs. In acute cases, laparoscopy or hysteroscopy (preferring office hysteroscopy) should be chosen, that require no or only short period of hospitalization. Postponing non-acute surgeries is recommended to the post-pandemic period.

Abbreviations: ICU: intensive care unit; COVID-19: coronavirus disease; SARS-CoV-2: severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronaviruses; IgM–IgG: immunoglobulin M; GAGP: aerosol generating procedures; PPE: personal protective equipment; ERAS: early recovery after surgery; mESAS: modified elective surgery acuity scale; RPOC: retained product of concept; PMB: postmenopausal bleeding

Keywords:

• Emergency
• hysteroscopy
• laparoscopy
• pandemic
• COVID-19

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.