Future Questions and Directions
Daily life around the world has changed significantly due to COVID-19. In addition to adapting to new home life and social distancing, work life and work flow must also adapt. The EP laboratory is no exception. We are living in unprecedented and precarious times where resource shortages may demand previously unimaginable ethical choices of us, such as whether a patient should or should not undergo a lifesaving procedure. We find that close collaboration and frequent communications by phone or teleconference at least once a day allows us to share the burden together and support one another. It is also crucial to support and salute the selfless nursing, hospital staff during this challenging time of collective action. We also appreciate the executive leadership of NewYork-Presbyterian for their transparency and daily communications with clinical staff and faculty.
Much remains to be discovered about COVID-19, especially with regard to the acute and chronic EP consequences. In light of viral-induced myocardial injury, it is likely that patients who recover from severe illness may develop cardiomyopathies or scar-related substrate for VT. The elucidation of viral shedding duration even after symptom resolution will be critical for future procedure timing in patients with history of COVID-19 infection. Lastly, it has been critical to establish COVID-19 dedicated hospitals, such as converting college dormitories or unused sports stadiums into care centers, to not only to expand patient care and relieve the front-line health care workers, but also to allow safer treatment of non-infected patients in the EP laboratory.