Perioperative Cost Comparison between Percutaneous Microwave Ablation and Partial Nephrectomy for Localized Renal...

We sought to determine and compare the perioperative cost associated with percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) and robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RA-PN) for treatment of localized renal masses (LRMs).

We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of a prospectively maintained IRB-approved LRM database. The database was queried for patients treated with microwave ablation or partial nephrectomy from 2015 to 2020. Allocated costs related to the procedural encounter and related to complications were collected. Allocated cost was calculated using ratio of cost-to-charges cost accounting methodology. Total cost was the sum of medical center cost and physician related cost. Statistical analysis was performed in SAS using Student's t-test and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.

A total of 279 patients were identified, of whom 165 underwent percutaneous MWA and 114 underwent RA-PN. All partial nephrectomies were robot-assisted. The mean total cost was $20,536 for RA-PN and $6,470 for percutaneous MWA (p <0.0001). Five patients (3%) who underwent MWA and 7 (6%) who underwent RA-PN experienced complications. Patients who underwent MWA and did not have a major complication had an average medical center cost of $5,174, compared to $8,990 for those with a major complication (p=0.36). Among patients who underwent RA-PN, those who did not have a major complication had an average medical center cost of $15,138, compared to $28,940 for those who did have a major complication (p=0.008).

MWA demonstrates lower perioperative cost and lower cost of complications than RA-PN for treatment of LRM. Further cost-effectiveness studies for LRM treatment should be performed with this updated cost information.