COVID-19 and neurointerventional service worldwide: a survey of the European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT), the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS), the Sociedad Iberolatinoamericana de Neuroradiologia Diagnostica y Terapeutica (SILAN), the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN), and the World Federation of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology (WFITN)

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jens Fiehler, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf; Patrick Brouwer, Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset; Carlos Diaz, Universidad de Antioquia; Joshua A. Hirsch, Massachusetts General Hospital; Zsolt Kulcsar, University Hospital Zurich; David Liebeskind, University of California Los Angeles; Italo Linfante, Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute; Pedro Lylyk, Clinical Institute ENERI; William J. Mack, University of Southern California; James Milburn, Ochsner Medical System; Raul Nogueira, Emory University; Darren B. Orbach, Boston Childrens Hospital; Jose Manuel Manuel Pumar, Hospital Clinico Universitario, Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Michihiro Tanaka, Kameda Medical Center; Allan Taylor, University of Cape Town
• Language: English
• Date: 2020-08-01
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/neurintsurg-2020-016349
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 8
• Start Page: 726
• End Page: 730
• Grant/Funding Information: The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
• Keywords: political; stroke; thrombectomy; Science & Technology; standards; Surgery; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; intervention; Neuroimaging; Neurosciences & Neurology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Biology, Neuroscience; Health Sciences, Rehabilitation and Therapy; Health Sciences, Radiology

Abstract

Background This survey was focused on the provision of neurointerventional services, the current practices of managing patients under COVID-19 conditions, and the expectations for the future. Methods Invitations for this survey were sent out as a collaborative effort of the European Society of Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT), the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS), the Sociedad Iberolatinoamericana de Neuroradiologia Diagnostica y Terapeutica (SILAN), the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN), and the World Federation of Interventional and Therapeutic Neuroradiology (WFITN). Results Overall, 475 participants from 61 countries responded (six from Africa (1%), 81 from Asia (17%), 156 from Europe (33%), 53 from Latin America (11%), and 172 from North America (11%)). The majority of participants (96%) reported being able to provide emergency services, though 26% of these reported limited resources. A decrease in emergency procedures was reported by 69% of participants (52% in ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, 11% ischemic, and 6% hemorrhagic stroke alone). Only 4% reported an increase in emergency cases. The emerging need for social distancing and the rapid adoption of remote communication was reflected in the interest in establishing case discussion forums (43%), general online forums (37%), and access to angio video streaming for live mentoring and support (33%). Conclusion Neurointerventional emergency services are available in almost all centers, while the number of emergency patients is markedly decreased. Half of the participants have abandoned neurointerventions in non-emergent situations. There are considerable variations in the management of neurointerventions and in the expectations for the future.