Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Urology Practice: Review of Literature

Abstract

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic is a challenge to the healthcare system including urology which is big and formidable. The present scenario has changed the health preferences to emergency and essential services only. Reallocation of healthcare providers, wards and equipments resulted in suspension of all outpatient and elective activities to select only non-deferrable and critical procedures. Consequently, all health care workers including urologists must abide by the recommendations when dealing with the COVID-19 patients. This pandemic has also disrupted the training and education programs of urology residents also. Subsequently, in this review article, authors have discussed the influence of COVID-19 on urological practice. Authors have also reviewed the recommendations on triaging of urology procedures (emergent and non-emergent), office based urological procedures, oncologic surgeries, paediatric urology, urology-pathology interaction and economic burden on healthcare system during COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

• coronavirus
• guideline
• severe acute respiratory syndrome
• surgery