Impact of Remimazolam on Prognosis After Bladder Cancer Surgery

Bladder cancer is one of the most common genitourinary cancers. Approximately 70-80% of bladder cancers are nonmuscle invasive, including those of Ta-T1 stage and carcinoma in situ. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is the standard therapy for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. However, patients after TURBT are at a high risk of recurrence and progression.

Recently, impacts of anesthetic agents on tumor cells have attracted more attention. Benzodiazepines are found to inhibit proliferation of lymphoma, neural tumor, lung cancer, rectal cancer and breast cancer cells in vitro. Midazolam may have anti-tumor effects through induction of apoptosis and inhibition of inflammatory reaction. However, clinical evidence regarding effects of benzodiazepines on outcomes after cancer surgery remains lacking.

Remimazolam is a new benzodiazepine with rapid onset and ultra-short activity. It is rapidly metabolized by tissue esterases to inactive metabolite and can be reversed by flumazenil. Therefore, patients wake up rapidly even after prolonged infusions. It is also found to produce less respiratory and circulatory depression when compared with propofol.

Delirium is an acute onset and transient cerebral dysfunction, and is associated with worse outcomes including prolonged hospitalization, worse functional recovery, cognitive decline, and increased mortality rate. Previous studies indicated that benzodiazepines increase incidence of postoperative delirium, possibly due to prolonged action. With the property of ultra-short activity, remimazolam may not increase the incidence of delirium. But evidence is lacking in this aspect.

The aims of this study are to explore the impact of remimazolam on emergency delirium and recurrence-free survival in patients undergoing bladder cancer surgery.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥50 years and <90 years;
• Preoperative diagnosis is non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer(Ta-T1);
• Scheduled to undergo transurethral resection of bladder tumor;
• Agree to participate, and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Refuse to participate;
• Emergent surgery;
• Combined with other malignant tumors;
• Use of benzodiazepines for 1 week within the last month before surgery;
• Preoperative history of schizophrenia, epilepsy, parkinsonism or myasthenia gravis;
• Inability to communicate in the preoperative period due to coma, profound dementia, language barrier, or end-stage disease;
• Critical illness (preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification ≥IV), severe hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh class C), or severe renal dysfunction (undergoing dialysis before surgery);
• The purpose of surgery is to make a diagnosis or preoperative judgement is that tumor cannot be completely removed.