Variability in pediatric appendectomy: The association between disposable supply cost and procedure duration

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Surgery
• Health Economics
• Surgical Supply Chain Management

Background:

• Pediatric appendicitis represents a significant healthcare burden in the U.S.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy is a common procedure for pediatric appendicitis.
• Opportunities exist to reduce healthcare costs associated with this procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between the cost of disposable surgical supplies and procedure duration in pediatric laparoscopic appendectomy.
• To determine if the use of costlier disposable supplies impacts patient outcomes.
• To identify potential areas for cost savings in pediatric appendectomies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional study of 380 pediatric laparoscopic appendectomies at two academic hospitals.
• Analysis of disposable supply costs, procedure duration, and patient outcomes from medical records.
• Statistical analysis using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Student's t tests to assess relationships.

Main Results:

• Significant variation in disposable supply costs among 11 surgeons (60.6%-151.1%).
• No correlation found between average supply cost and procedure duration (R = 0.2951, P = .378).
• Use of specific supplies (energy devices, staplers, pouches, ports) increased costs but did not shorten procedures or improve outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Surgeons' choices in disposable supplies for pediatric appendectomy vary widely.
• The cost of disposable supplies does not appear to influence procedure duration or patient outcomes.
• Incentivizing judicious use of surgical supplies could lead to cost reductions in pediatric appendicitis care.