Comparison of Efficacy, Safety, and Cost Effectiveness of In-Office Cup Forceps Biopsies versus Operating Room Biopsies for Laryngopharyngeal Tumors
✍ Scribed by Arang Samim; Harini Naidu; Jacob P. Noordzij; Scharukh Jalisi; Gregory A. Grillone
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2009
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 297 KB
- Volume
- 119
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0023-852X
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic yield, safety and cost between biopsies of laryngopharyngeal tumor performed in an office setting with those performed in the operating room under general anesthesia. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of records from 2006-2008.
METHODS: In-office biopsies were performed using flexible nasolaryngoscopy with cup forcep biopsies taken via the working channel in patients in whom cancer was strongly suspected. Patients, whose in-office biopsies were non-diagnostic or suspected to be falsely negative, were taken to surgery for biopsy and served as the control group.
RESULTS: 12 patients fit the selection criteria and had in-office biopsies attempted. One patient could not tolerate the in-office biopsy. Seven of the 11 in-office biopsies performed were diagnostic for squamous cell carcinoma. The average cost for an in-office biopsy was $2053.91. Five of these patients required further biopsy in the OR at an average cost of $9024.47. There were no significant complications reported in any of the procedures.
CONCLUSIONS: In patients with strongly suspected laryngopharyngeal cancer, in-office cup forcep biopsies were 64% diagnostic. When compared to the operating room, in-office cup biopsies of laryngopharyngeal tumor are as safe and considerably more cost effective.