[Emergency surgery during COVID-19 pandemia.]

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted global health systems, necessitating standardized guidelines for patient care.
• Health authorities and scientific associations issued recommendations to manage the complex scenario of the pandemic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing evidence and recommendations for urological emergency surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To propose a general action protocol for patients undergoing urological emergency surgery.

Main Methods:

• A narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed and web searches with keywords like "COVID Urology" and "emergency care".
• The review included articles and documents in Spanish and English published up to April 30, 2020.
• A modified nominal group technique was employed to unify criteria and develop consensus.

Main Results:

• General principles and specific recommendations for frequent urgent urological procedures were established.
• The findings address the management of urological emergencies within the context of the pandemic.

Conclusions:

• Optimal management of urgent urological pathology during the pandemic lacks robust evidence due to the evolving nature of COVID-19.
• Multidisciplinary surgical committees are recommended to develop and implement tailored action protocols.
• Individual assessment of each urological surgical emergency and adherence to protective measures are crucial.