Status and recommendations for interventional radiological procedures in COVID-19 patients

Background Particularly at the beginning, the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic caused a reduction in the number of interventions in interventional radiology. At the same time, interventional training became more challenging. Infectious patients and disease transmission within interventional radiology departments continue to pose significant challenges. Objectives This article describes the status and recommendations for interventional radiological procedures in COVID-19 patients. Materials and methods Guidelines and recommendations from international and national societies as well as original works and reviews were evaluated. Results Interventional radiological care of COVID-19 patients with complicated courses of infection has become established during the course of the pandemic. To protect patients and staff, interventions in COVID-19 patients should be prioritized, performed in separate procedure rooms if possible, and patients should be tested before interventions. Logistics, staff planning, and hygiene measures should be continuously optimized. Conclusions Structured workflows within interventional radiology in dealing with COVID-19 patients appear necessary to minimize infection risks and to guarantee the staff's work capability and health. In order to develop concepts for the handling of COVID-19 patients and to be prepared for potential upcoming waves of infections, recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and (inter-)national professional societies are helpful.