Effect of Stress Ball Use on Pain, Anxiety, and Vital Signs During Ultrasound-Guided Tru-cut Biopsy (STRESS-BX)

A Tru-cut biopsy is a minimally invasive diagnostic procedure frequently used to evaluate suspicious lesions and tissue abnormalities. Although local anesthesia is routinely administered, patients commonly experience procedural pain, anxiety, and physiological stress responses during the procedure. Increased anxiety levels may negatively influence pain perception, procedural tolerance, and overall patient experience.

Nonpharmacological interventions have increasingly gained attention as supportive approaches for reducing pain and anxiety during invasive procedures. Among these interventions, distraction techniques are considered practical, low-cost, and easy to implement in clinical settings. Stress ball application is a simple distraction-based intervention that encourages active patient participation and may help redirect attention away from the procedure.

This study was designed as a prospective, single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of stress ball application on pain, anxiety, and vital signs during ultrasound-guided Tru-Cut biopsy procedures. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group, which received stress ball application during the procedure, or the control group, which received standard care alone.

Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and anxiety levels were evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI Form TX-I). Vital signs, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, were recorded before and after the procedure. The study aimed to determine whether the use of stress balls could reduce procedural pain and anxiety and improve physiological responses during Tru-Cut biopsy procedures.