Bladder papilloma: therapeutic and cost effect of outpatient department management

Management of patients with benign papilloma of the bladder was reviewed for the calendar year 1979. Thirty-six patients (average age sixty-six years) were cystoscoped 113 times with 77 fulgurations. Over-all follow-up of these 36 patients averaged 8.2 years with a range of one to thirty-five years. In 5 patients (13.4 per cent) progressive disease developed: 1 invasive tumor requiring cystectomy, 2 Stage A lesions treated by transurethral resection, and 2 bilateral ureteral and renal pelvic papillomatosis with local bladder control. The average outpatient department (OPD) cost per patient in 1979 for management was $322.80 and for inpatient management $1,785.25. The over-all cost savings for 1979 was $112,608.65 among the patients treated for recurrence on an OPD basis. Outpatient management of benign bladder papilloma is a well-tolerated, therapeutically cost effective measure and is recommended.