Concurrent surgeries in ENT: a cost-effective and safe approach in patients requiring multiple definitive procedures

Treatment of the predisposing factors that are identified in the nose and throat in several ENT diseases is mandatory prior to the definitive management of the latter. When surgical management is indicated it has been traditional to use staged procedures. This study was undertaken to assess the role of concurrent surgical procedures in ENT and evaluate their cost-effectiveness compared to similar staged procedures. This was a retrospective case series of 100 consecutive patients undergoing concurrent and similar staged ENT surgical procedures. On analysis, it was noted that the average duration of surgery, anaesthesia and hospital stay was significantly less in the concurrent procedures group than in the staged procedures (2.35/3.1.hours; 3.05/3.30.hours and 2.5/6.5 days, respectively). The average hospital bill for the concurrent procedures was also lower than for the staged procedures. Hence, in patients requiring multiple ENT surgical procedures for definitive treatment, concurrent procedures are more cost-effective than staged procedures and should be considered the treatment of choice in a tertiary care centre.