Endoscopic mask innovation and protective measures changes during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic: Experience from a Chinese hepato-biliary-pancreatic unit.

Endoscopy is widely used as a clinical diagnosis and treatment method for certain hepatobiliary and pancreatic diseases. However, due to the distinctive epidemiological characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the virus causing coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), healthcare providers are exposed to the patient's respiratory and gastrointestinal fluids, rendering endoscopy a high risk for transmitting a nosocomial infection. This article introduces preventive measures for endoscopic treatment enacted in our medical center during COVID-19, including the adjustment of indications, the application of endoscope protective equipment, the design and application of endoscopic masks and splash-proof films, and novel recommendations for bedside endoscope pre-sterilization.