Urology practice during the COVID-19 pandemic

• DOI: 10.23736/s0393-2249.20.03846-1
• Publication Date: 2020-06-25T07:41:55Z
• Authors: Vincenzo Ficarra; ; Giacomo Novara; Alberto Abrate; Riccardo Bartoletti; Alessandro Crestani; Cosimo De Nunzio; Gianluca Giannarini; Andrea Gregori; Giovanni Liguori; Vincenzo Mirone; Nicola Pavan; Roberto M. Scarpa; Alchiede Simonato; Carlo Trombetta; Andrea Tubaro; Francesco Porpiglia
• Keywords: Practice guideline; Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional; Urologists; Urology; Pneumonia, Viral; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Anesthesiology; Humans; coronavirus; COVID-19; pandemics; practice guideline; surgery; urology; coronavirus; COVID-19; pandemic; urology; clinical practice guidelines; surgery; endourology; urology; Pandemics; Patient Care Team; pandemic; COVID-19; coronavirus; pandemic; urology; Hospitals; Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pandemics, Urology, Practice guideline, Surgery; 3. Good health; coronaviru; Coronavirus; Hospitalization; Italy; Urologic Surgical Procedures; Surgery; Patient Safety; Coronavirus Infections; Coronavirus; COVID-19; Pandemics; Practice guideline; Surgery; Urology

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the disease it causes, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is generating a rapid and tragic health emergency in Italy due to the need to provide assistance to an overwhelming number of infected patients and, at the same time, treat all the non-deferrable oncological and benign conditions. A panel of Italian urologists has agreed on possible strategies for the reorganization of urological routine practice and on a set of recommendations that should facilitate the process of rescheduling both surgical and outpatient activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the subsequent phases. This document could be a valid tool to be used in routine clinical practice and, possibly, a cornerstone for further discussion on the topic also considering the further evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also may provide useful recommendations for national and international urological societies in a condition of emergency.