Purpose: In 1997, two studies were performed in interventional radiology units, one of them by the CCLIN Paris-Nord and the other, by the staff of the vascular radiology department of Hautepierre Hospital of Strasbourg in collaboration with the CCLIN Est. The results have shown poor compliance with recommended infection control guidelines and standard precautions. A working group was set up by the CCLIN Paris-Nord, with radiologists, radiology technicians, nurses and infection control practitioners to elaborate guidelines for infection control practices in interventional radiology. Materials and methods. These guidelines were compiled using legislation, consensus or expert conferences, evaluations or studies which had demonstrated a benefit to prevent infectious risk. The working group also formulated its own recommendations when no pre-existing document was available. These recommendations have been categorized according to evidence of benefit in infectious risk prevention.
Results: Guidelines are divided in two parts. The first part describes rooms and optimal architecture of the interventional radiology unit, flows (patients, staff, material, linen and waste), type of floor and furniture surfaces, and environment of the interventional unit (air, water, room and device cleaning). The second part details staff garments, hand washing procedures according to tasks, and protection against accident for the staff (accidental blood exposure, antimitotic drugs). Recommendations have been elaborated for patients'skin preparation and equipment handling (contrast product, automatic injector, US, scanner). A proposal for work organization is made regarding nursing protocols, documents of maintenance, surveillance of medical devices.