A cost-effectiveness analysis of the up-front use of balloon catheter dilation in the treatment of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis

Background. The treatment of pediatric sinusitis continues to be a controversial topic. It has been recommended to treat pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with adenoidectomy before proceeding to more invasive techniques. There are concerns regarding side effects of endoscopic sinus surgery in pediatric patients. With the advent of balloon catheter dilation (BCD) as a minimally invasive technique, some authors are recommending up front adenoidectomy with BCD in order to maximize disease resolution while minimizing risk. Purpose: Our study examines the cost effectiveness of adenoidectomy alone versus adenoidectomy and upfront BCD for the management of pediatric CRS. Methods: A decision tree analysis was created to determine the cost effectiveness of treating a pediatric patient who has failed medical management, using adenoidectomy versus adenoidectomy with up-front BCD. Three separate decision trees were made. The incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated for each scenario and a sensitivity analysis was done to determine how different values impacted our results. Results: Adenoidectomy as the sole first procedure was found to be more cost effective in all three decision trees. For tree 1, the adenoidectomy plus BCD arm was 0.03% more effective in the end, but with an $81, 431 incremental cost. Conclusions: Costs in addition to outcomes must be considered when comparing treatment modalities in our current health care environment. This study found that adenoidectomy as a first intervention before proceeding to more advanced techniques is nearly as effective and is a much more cost-effective algorithm for the treatment of pediatric CRS. However, the physician must advocate the best treatment for his or her own patients.