Supplementary Material for: Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Endoscopic Procedures in Two European Large-Capacity Endoscopy Units: “Keep Calm, Keep Safe and Scope on?”

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The COVID-19-pandemic poses challenges to the medical system and especially to endoscopic staff and patients. National, European and International societies provided recommendations on how to safely perform endoscopic procedures during the current pandemic. Until now, the effect of the current pandemic on tertiary endoscopy centers has not been reported. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this was to analyze the influence of the early SARS-CoV2-pandemic on endoscopic care and work flow in 2 European tertiary endoscopy units. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Data from 2 tertiary endoscopy units (Katowice and Munich) were retrospectively collected during the early pandemic and compared to an equivalent pre-pandemic period. Data include procedures, complications, benchmarks, and influence on endoscopy training. <b><i>Results:</i></b> During the early pandemic, we noted a highly significant decrease (49.1%) in the overall number of all endoscopies with a significant increase in therapeutic procedures. Besides, there were no significant differences in the number of urgent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography or interventional endoscopic ultrasound procedures. The exceptional situation reduced endoscopic procedures performed by trainees significantly. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> The SARS-CoV2-pandemic halved the endoscopy service of 2 tertiary centers while maintaining an urgent therapeutic service. Recommended personal safety measures in endoscopy proved to be efficient and safe in preventing SARS-CoV2 infection of staff or spreading. Unnecessarily, the SARS-CoV2 pandemic prevented routine endoscopy training.

<b><i>研究背景：</i></b> 新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）大流行给医疗系统带来了严峻挑战，尤其对内镜诊疗医护人员与患者而言影响更为显著。欧洲及国际各国医学学会均针对当前大流行期间如何安全开展内镜诊疗操作发布了相关指南建议。截至目前，尚未有研究报道本次大流行对三级内镜中心造成的具体影响。<b><i>研究目的：</i></b> 本研究旨在分析早期严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型（SARS-CoV-2）大流行对两家欧洲三级内镜中心的内镜诊疗服务及工作流程产生的影响。<b><i>研究方法：</i></b> 本研究回顾性收集了疫情早期阶段，来自卡托维兹与慕尼黑两家三级内镜中心的诊疗数据，并与疫情前的同期对照时段进行对比。所收集的数据涵盖内镜操作例数、并发症情况、诊疗质量基准指标以及内镜培训工作的受影响情况。<b><i>研究结果：</i></b> 疫情早期阶段，所有内镜操作的总例数出现极具统计学意义的下降（降幅达49.1%），但治疗性内镜操作的例数则显著增加。此外，急诊逆行胰胆管造影术（endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, ERCP）或介入性超声内镜操作的例数未出现显著变化。特殊的疫情防控形势也导致受训医师开展的内镜操作例数出现明显减少。<b><i>研究结论：</i></b> 严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2型（SARS-CoV-2）大流行使得两家三级内镜中心的内镜诊疗服务规模缩减一半，但急诊治疗性内镜服务得以维持。内镜诊疗中推荐采用的个人防护措施被证实可有效预防医护人员感染新型冠状病毒或病毒传播。此外，本次大流行还对常规内镜培训工作造成了不必要的阻碍。