Enhancing Transradial Transarterial Microembolization Efficiency and Patient Satisfaction with Oral Benzodiazepine Premedication.

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of benzodiazepines (BZDs) on pre-procedural anxiety, procedural parameters, post-procedural pain, and satisfaction in transarterial microembolization (TAME).

Methods

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 31 patients with refractory upper extremity pain treated with transradial TAME in 2023. Patients were divided into a non-BZD group (n = 15; 8 female; age 59.3 ± 9.5 y) and a BZD group (n = 16; 10 female; age 53.3 ± 9.9 y). Pre-procedural anxiety (five-point Likert scale), satisfaction (Likert), and pain (Visual Analog Scale, VAS) were assessed. Satisfaction and pain were evaluated immediately and 1 and 3 months post-procedure.

Results

Baseline demographics, intra-procedural variables, and post-procedural reductions in VAS scores showed no significant intergroup differences (all p > 0.05). However, compared to the non-BZD group, the BZD group exhibited a significant reduction in anxiety scores (1.12 vs. 3.80; p = 0.04) and procedure time per artery (23.58 vs. 34.81 min; p = 0.001). The BZD group also reported significantly higher immediate, short-term, and mid-term satisfaction (4.25 vs. 3.13, p = 0.045; 4.69 vs. 3.67, p = 0.01; 4.81 vs. 3.80, p < 0.001), and a significantly greater proportion exhibited artery diameters ≥ 2 mm (p = 0.02).

Conclusions

TAME with oral BZD premedication significantly improves patient satisfaction, reduces anxiety, and promotes a high proportion of arterial diameters ≥ 2 mm, thereby reducing procedural time.