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Emergent and Urgent Craniotomies in Pediatric Patients: Resource Utilization and Cost Analysis

Sonia Ajmera1, Mustafa Motiwala1, Ryan Lingo2

  • 1College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Pediatric Neurosurgery
|August 12, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Urgent pediatric craniotomies, often for traumatic brain injuries like hematomas, are common. Non-traumatic cases, though less frequent, demand more resources and present greater complexity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Trauma Surgery
  • Healthcare Economics

Background:

  • Pediatric neurosurgeons perform urgent surgeries to save children's lives and neurological function.
  • Timely surgical intervention is critical in pediatric neurosurgery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the causes, outcomes, and costs of urgent or emergent craniotomies in pediatric patients.
  • To evaluate healthcare resource utilization for pediatric craniotomies.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of pediatric patients undergoing craniotomy within 24 hours of presentation.
  • Data collected included demographics, clinical details, surgical information, and hospital charges.
  • Analysis of readmissions within 90 days and inflation-adjusted costs.

Main Results:

  • 223 pediatric craniotomies were performed; 73.1% were for traumatic injuries.
  • Hematoma evacuation was the most common procedure (51.6%), often during off-peak hours (79.8%).
  • Non-trauma patients incurred higher healthcare costs than trauma patients.

Conclusions:

  • Traumatic injuries, particularly hematomas, are the primary indication for urgent pediatric craniotomies.
  • Non-trauma cases are more resource-intensive, highlighting the need for tailored management strategies.
  • Understanding cost drivers is essential for optimizing pediatric neurosurgical care.
Abstract

Keywords:
CostsEmergent/urgent craniotomyPediatric traumaResources

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