COVID-protected pathways for image-guided lung cancer intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the experience of COVID-protected and mixed cohort pathways in COVID-19 transmission at a tertiary referral hospital for elective CT-guided lung biopsy and ablation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

From September 2020 to August 2021, patients admitted for elective thoracic intervention were treated at a tertiary hospital (Site 1). Site 1 received patients for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and invasive ventilation in the treatment of COVID-19. Shared imaging, theater, and hallway facilities were used.From April 2020 to August 2020, patients admitted for elective thoracic intervention were treated at a COVID-protected hospital (Site 2). No patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 were treated at Site 2.Patients were surveyed for clinical and laboratory signs of COVID-19 infection up to 30 days post-procedure.

RESULTS

At Sites 1 and 2, patients (2.4%) were tested positive for COVID-19 at 10 and 14 days post-procedure.At Site 2, there were no COVID-19 positive cases within 30 days of undergoing elective thoracic intervention.

CONCLUSION

A mixed-site method for infection control could represent a pragmatic approach to the management of elective procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic or for similar illnesses.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: Mixed-cohort infection control is possible in the prevention of nosocomial COVID-19 infection.