Economic Evaluation of a Steroid-Eluting Sinus Implant following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a mometasone steroid-eluting sinus implant compared to a nonsteroid-eluting sinus implant following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis.

STUDY DESIGN: Economic evaluation using a decision tree model.

SETTING: Academic and nonacademic otolaryngology practices.

SUBJECTS: Patients with refractory chronic rhinosinusitis undergoing ESS.

METHODS: The economic perspective was the health care third party payer. Effectiveness and probability data were obtained from a single meta-analysis of 2 randomized, double-blind, controlled trials. Costs were obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services database and wholesale pharmaceutical pricing. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed including a probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Comparative treatment groups were (1) placement of the mometasone steroid-eluting sinus implant following ESS and (2) placement of a nonsteroid-eluting implant following ESS. The primary outcome was cost per postoperative intervention avoided within 60 days after ESS.

RESULTS: The mean cost for the steroid-eluting and nonsteroid-eluting sinus implant strategies were $1,572.91 and $365.18, respectively. The steroid-eluting strategy incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was $5,489.68. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated a 74.3%, 87.2%, and 90.5% certainty that the steroid-eluting implant strategy is cost-effective at willingness-to-pay thresholds of $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Results from this economic evaluation suggest that placement of a mometasone steroid-eluting sinus implant into the ethmoid cavity following ESS for refractory chronic rhinosinusitis is a cost-effective intervention for preventing a postoperative intervention within 60 days after surgery.