Intraoperative Ultrasound Guidance With an Ultrasound-Visible Clip: A Practical and Cost-effective Option for Breast...

Area of Science:

• Breast oncology
• Minimally invasive surgical techniques
• Medical imaging

Background:

• Ultrasound (US) localization offers advantages over wire localization for partial mastectomy (PM).
• Ultrasound-visible clips (UVCs) may enhance US-guided localization during PM.
• Evaluating UVCs' impact on US use and cost-effectiveness is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the association between UVC use at biopsy and US use during PM.
• To determine if UVCs facilitate US localization and reduce costs compared to alternatives.
• To hypothesize that UVCs improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness in breast cancer surgery.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of adult female patients undergoing PM or lumpectomy (2014-2016).
• Characterization of core biopsy clip type and PM localization method (wire vs. US).
• Multivariable regression models used to estimate associations; cost analysis based on biopsy data.

Main Results:

• UVC placement at biopsy increased US use during resection by 13% (95% CI, 6%-21%).
• No significant difference in specimen weight between US and wire localization.
• Estimated cost savings of $36,000 for UVCs over 2014-2016 for 2209 biopsies.

Conclusions:

• US localization for PM is feasible and cost-effective when facilitated by UVCs.
• UVC placement at biopsy is recommended for its cost-effectiveness.
• UVCs avoid the discomfort and inconvenience associated with wire localization.