Right or Left: Which Is the Right Radial Access for Liver Transarterial Chemoembolization?

Area of Science:

• Interventional Radiology
• Hepatobiliary Oncology
• Vascular Access

Background:

• Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a standard treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma.
• Radial artery access offers an alternative to femoral access for TACE procedures.
• Comparing right versus left radial access for TACE is crucial for optimizing patient and operator outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the technical effectiveness and safety of right versus left radial artery access for TACE.
• To evaluate differences in operator radiation exposure and procedural comfort between the two access sites.
• To determine the optimal radial artery approach for liver TACE interventions.

Main Methods:

• A single-center prospective randomized study comparing right (R) and left (L) radial access for TACE.
• Primary endpoints included technical success and safety (complications).
• Secondary endpoints assessed operator radiation exposure and patient/operator procedural comfort via visual analog scale.

Main Results:

• Technical success rates were high and comparable between groups (96.8% R vs. 100% L).
• No major complications were observed in either group.
• Operator comfort was significantly higher with the right radial artery, while radiation exposure and patient comfort showed no significant differences.

Conclusions:

• Both right and left radial access are technically effective and safe for liver TACE.
• The right radial artery approach offers superior operator comfort without compromising safety or efficacy.
• Right radial artery access may be the preferred choice for TACE procedures based on operator preference.