Cost-effectiveness of routine computed tomography in the evaluation of idiopathic unilateral vocal fold paralysis.
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of routine computed tomography (CT) in individuals with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) STUDY DESIGN: Health Economics Decision Tree Analysis METHODS: A decision tree was constructed to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of CT imaging in UVFP patients. Univariate sensitivity analysis was utilized to calculate what the probability of having an etiology of the paralysis discovered would have to be to make CT with contrast more cost-effective than no imaging. We used two studies examining findings in UVFP patients. The decision pathways were utilizing CT neck with intravenous contrast after diagnostic laryngoscopy versus laryngoscopy alone. The probability of detecting an etiology for UVFP and associated costs were extracted to construct the decision tree. The only incorrect diagnosis was missing a mass in the no-imaging decision branch, which rendered an effectiveness of 0.



The ICER of using CT was $3,306, below most acceptable willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds. Additionally, univariate sensitivity analysis indicated that at the WTP threshold of $30,000, obtaining CT imaging was the most cost-effective choice when the probability of having a lesion was above 1.7%. Multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analysis with Monte Carlo simulations also showed that at the WTP of $30,000, CT scanning is more cost-effective, with 99.5% certainty.



Particularly in the current healthcare environment characterized by increasing consciousness of utilization defensive medicine, economic evaluations represent evidence-based findings that can be employed to facilitate appropriate decision making and enhance physician-patient communication. This economic evaluation strongly supports obtaining CT imaging in patients with newly diagnosed UVFP.



2c. Laryngoscope, 2016 127:440-444, 2017.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Houmehr
H
Hojjat
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Peter F
PF
Svider
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Department of Neurosurgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Adam J
AJ
Folbe
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Syed N
SN
Raza
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Surgical Service, Section of Otolaryngology, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Michael A
MA
Carron
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Surgical Service, Section of Otolaryngology, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Mahdi A
MA
Shkoukani
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.
Albert L
AL
Merati
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.|Surgical Service, Section of Otolaryngology, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Ross M
RM
Mayerhoff
D003287:Contrast Media / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000191:economics*; D003663:Decision Trees; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000191:economics*; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000191:economics*
D003287:Contrast Media
Decision tree analysis; cost-effectiveness; unilateral vocal cord paralysis