Abstract
Objective: 1) To examine surgical outcomes, charges, and demographics information for patients who have undergone an acoustic neuroma excision. 2) To determine if outcome measures and charges are significantly different between high-volume and low-volume centers.
Method: Case data for acoustic neuroma excisions performed in California from 2008 to 2010 were examined using California Hospital Discharge Data (CHDD). Cases were identified if they contained the principal procedure ICD-9-CM code 04.01. Postoperative complications were identified if cases contained ICD-9-CM codes for specific diagnoses and procedures (ie, meningitis, ventriculostomy, etc).
Results: There were 1158 cases. Most patients were between the ages of 35 and 64 years (72.8%), women (54%), and white (76.0%). The median total charge was $103,485, the average hospital stay was 5.1 days, 90.3% of patients were discharged routinely (ie, home), and 7.3% of patients endured postoperative complications. High-volume centers (10 ≤ surgeries per year average) had less complications (5.7% of patients had complication(s) vs 13%; P < .001), shorter hospital stays (4.7 days vs 6.6 days; P < .001), higher rates of routine discharges (94.8% vs 73.6%; P < .001), and lower average charges per day and total charges (P < .001).
Conclusion: Compared with lower volume centers, high-volume centers had fewer complications, shorter hospital stays, higher rates of routine discharges, and lower total charges for all services rendered and average charges per day. Interestingly, CHDD demonstrates that median total charges have risen dramatically from data reported in 1996 to 1998 ($103,485 vs $26,862).
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.