Estimated National Cost of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery in the United States
Methods: In this cross-sectional, population-based study, we used the 2016-2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Samples and National Ambulatory Surgery Samples to identify patients undergoing POP surgery using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes, ICD-10 procedural codes, and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Cost-to-charge ratios and weighted estimates were used to calculate nationwide costs. Descriptive analysis was used to identify the sociodemographic, clinical, and surgical characteristics of the population undergoing POP surgery.
Results: Between 2016 and 2018, there were 140,762 POP surgical cases annually with an annual national cost estimated at $1.523 billion per year. The median cost per procedure increased slightly from $8,837 in 2016 to $8,958 in 2018. Overall, 82.5% of the total surgeries and 78% of the total national costs associated with POP surgery came from the ambulatory setting over this time period. Of these surgeries, 44.7% included an apical repair, and 42.3% included a concomitant hysterectomy. The average age of the population was 62 years, and 20% of the total population receiving prolapse surgery were younger than age 50 years.
Conclusion: The annual national cost associated with surgical correction of POP is substantial, and the majority of cases occur in an ambulatory setting. These findings will contribute to enhancing cost-effectiveness analyses and decision-making processes for both health care professionals and policymakers as the national population continues to age.
Brad St Martin, Melissa A Markowitz, Evan R Myers, Lisbet S Lundsberg, Nancy Ringel
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
Source: Martin BS, Markowitz MA, Myers ER et al. Estimated National Cost of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery in the United States. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2024. DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005485.