3D-printed face protective shield in interventional radiology: Evaluation of an immediate solution in the era of COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Diagnostic and interventional imaging Vol. 101; no. 6; pp. 413 - 415
• Main Authors: Sapoval, M., Gaultier, A.L., Del Giudice, C., Pellerin, O., Kassis-Chikhani, N., Lemarteleur, V., Fouquet, V., Tapie, L., Morenton, P., Tavitian, B., Attal, J.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier Masson SAS 01.06.2020; Elsevier; Société française de radiologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS
• Subjects: Betacoronavirus; Bioengineering; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - prevention & control; COVID-19; Equipment Design - methods; Equipment Reuse; Humans; Interventional radiology; Life Sciences; Masks; Pandemics - prevention & control; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - prevention & control; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Prospective Studies; Protective face shield; Radiography, Interventional - instrumentation; SARS-CoV-2; Three-dimensional printing; Time Factors; COVID-19; SD; ABS; SARS-Cov-2; PLA; PPE; Interventional radiology; Three-dimensional printing; IR; Protective face shield; PVC
• ISSN: 2211-5684; 2211-5684
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diii.2020.04.004

The purpose of this study was to report the clinical evaluation of a 3D-printed protective face shield designed to protect interventional radiologists from droplet transmission of the SARS-Cov-2. A protective face shield consisting in a standard transparent polymerizing vinyl chloride (PVC) sheet was built using commercially available 3D printers. The 3D-printed face shield was evaluated in 31 interventional procedures in terms of ability to perform the assigned intervention as usual, quality of visual comfort and tolerance using a Likert scale (from 1, as very good to 5, as extremely poor). The mean rating for ability to perform the assigned intervention as usual was 1.7±0.8 (SD) (range: 1–4). The mean visual tolerance rating was 1.6±0.7 (SD) (range: 1–4). The mean tolerability rating was 1.4±0.7 (SD) (range: 1–3). The 3D-printed protective face shield is well accepted in various interventions. It may become an additional option for protection of interventional radiologists.