Intraductal bile duct stents should be prioritised for removal during the pandemic

Following the announcement by the WHO of a pandemic on 11 March 2020, routine gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures were suspended internationally with only life-threatening emergencies and severe conditions being performed. We, therefore, read with interest the article by Rutter et al on the impact of COVID-19 on endoscopy services and cancer detection (1). One patient category not fully addressed in this publication is the subgroup of patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with biliary stent placement prior to introduction of restricted activity. Under normal circumstances, many of these patients would have undergone endoprosthesis replacement or revision prior to potential endoscopic activity later in 2020. Guidance statements from international professional bodies are inconsistent with the Asian Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy (APSDE)-COVID statement, this group has not …