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. 2022 Mar;47(3):1167-1176.
doi: 10.1007/s00261-021-03406-z. Epub 2022 Jan 10.

Variability in personal protective equipment in cross-sectional interventional abdominal radiology practices

Virginia Planz  1 , Jennifer Huang  2 , Samuel J Galgano  3 , Olga R Brook  4 , Ghaneh Fananapazir  5
Affiliations

Variability in personal protective equipment in cross-sectional interventional abdominal radiology practices

Virginia Planz et al. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2022 Mar.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine institutional practice requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) in cross-sectional interventional radiology (CSIR) procedures among a variety of radiology practices in the USA and Canada.

Methods: Members of the Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) CSIR Emerging Technology Commission (ETC) were sent an eight-question survey about what PPE they were required to use during common CSIR procedures: paracentesis, thoracentesis, thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA), superficial lymph node biopsy, deep lymph node biopsy, solid organ biopsy, and ablation. Types of PPE evaluated were sterile gloves, surgical masks, gowns, surgical hats, eye shields, foot covers, and scrubs.

Results: 26/38 surveys were completed by respondents at 20/22 (91%) institutions. The most common PPE was sterile gloves, required by 20/20 (100%) institutions for every procedure. The second most common PPE was masks, required by 14/20 (70%) institutions for superficial and deep procedures and 12/12 (100%) institutions for ablation. Scrubs, sterile gowns, eye shields, and surgical hats were required at nearly all institutions for ablation, whereas approximately half of institutions required their use for deep lymph node and solid organ biopsy. Compared with other types of PPE, required mask and eye shield use showed the greatest increase during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Conclusion: PPE use during common cross-sectional procedures is widely variable. Given the environmental and financial impact and lack of consensus practice, further studies examining the appropriate level of PPE are needed.

Keywords: Biopsy; Institutional practice; Personal protective equipment.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Bar graphs show breakdown of responses by type of PPE prior to and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The values are percentage of institutions that required use of the PPE for the procedure. Data are presented on a per institution basis (one respondent per institution)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Bar graphs show breakdown of responses by procedure prior to and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The values are percentage of institutions that required use of the PPE for the procedure. Data are presented on a per institution basis (one respondent per institution)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Bar graphs show breakdown of sterile equipment by procedure. The values are percentage of responses that reported use of sterile towels, sterile paper drape, and both sterile towels and paper drape. Responses are represented on an individual basis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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