Preoperative workup
Question 12: How is the preoperative oncological workup influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic situation? (Answer rate 400/409, 97.7%) (Fig. 2)
A total of 45% of participants answered that all examinations were available as usual. However, 56% reported that endobronchial or other examinations were delayed or unavailable. CT-guided biopsies were less frequently available in more severely affected hospitals (Fig. 5A).
Figure 5:  Organization of preoperative workup stratified by impact per hospital. (A) Oncological workup. (B) Preoperative functional tests. COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019; CPET: cardiopulmonary exercise testing; DLCO: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide; EBUS: endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy; ECG: electrocardiography; PET-CT: positron emission tomography-computed tomography; V/Q: ventilation/perfusion. Question 13: Which of the following preoperative functional tests are not available due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation? (Answer rate 394/409, 96.3%) (Fig. 2)
Although all tests were available as normal for most participants (64%), the diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and cardiopulmonary exercise tests were not available in more than 20% of cases.
When answers were stratified by the number per hospital of treated patients whose test results were positive for COVID-19, investigations were clearly more delayed or unavailable in hospitals treating more than 100 patients with COVID-19 (Fig. 5B).