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

## TL;DR

This study shows that using oral benzodiazepines before a specific artery procedure improves patient satisfaction, reduces anxiety, and shortens the procedure time.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that benzodiazepine premedication enhances transradial transarterial microembolization outcomes.

## Key findings

- Benzodiazepine use significantly reduced pre-procedural anxiety and procedure time.
- Patients receiving benzodiazepines reported higher satisfaction immediately and over time.
- A greater proportion of arteries in the benzodiazepine group had diameters ≥ 2 mm.

## Abstract

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.