Estimated National Cost of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery in the United States

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the national cost of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery in the United States. METHODS: In this cross-sectional, population-based study, we used the 2016–2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Samples and National Ambulatory Surgery Samples to identify patients undergoing POP surgery using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes, ICD-10 procedural codes, and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Cost-to-charge ratios and weighted estimates were used to calculate nationwide costs. Descriptive analysis was used to identify the sociodemographic, clinical, and surgical characteristics of the population undergoing POP surgery. RESULTS: Between 2016 and 2018, there were 140,762 POP surgical cases annually with an annual national cost estimated at $1.523 billion per year. The median cost per procedure increased slightly from $8,837 in 2016 to $8,958 in 2018. Overall, 82.5% of the total surgeries and 78% of the total national costs associated with POP surgery came from the ambulatory setting over this time period. Of these surgeries, 44.7% included an apical repair, and 42.3% included a concomitant hysterectomy. The average age of the population was 62 years, and 20% of the total population receiving prolapse surgery were younger than age 50 years. CONCLUSION: The annual national cost associated with surgical correction of POP is substantial, and the majority of cases occur in an ambulatory setting. These findings will contribute to enhancing cost-effectiveness analyses and decision-making processes for both health care professionals and policymakers as the national population continues to age.