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BACKGROUND Cost analyses of patients undergoing esophagectomy is valuable for identifying modifiable expenditure drivers to target and curtail costs while improving the quality of care. We aimed to define the cost-complication relationship after esophagectomy and delineate the incremental contributions to costs. AIM To assess the relationship between the hospital costs and potential cost drivers post esophagectomy and investigate the relationship between the cost-driving variables (predicting variables) and hospital costs (dependent variable). METHODS In this retrospective single center study, the severity of complications was graded using the Clavien-Dindo (CD) classification system. Key esophagectomy complications were categorized and defined according to consensus guidelines. Raw costing data included the in-hospital costs of the index admission and any unplanned admission within 30 postoperative days. We used correlation analysis to assess the relationship between key clinical variables and hospital costs (in United States dollars) to identify cost drivers. A mediation model was used to investigate the relationship between these variables and hospital costs. RESULTS A total of 110 patients underwent primary esophageal resection. The median admission cost was 47822. 7 (interquartile range: 35670. 2-68214. 0). The total effects on costs were 13593. 9 (95%CI: 10187. 1-17000. 8, P < 0. 001) for each increase in CD severity grade, 4781 (95%CI: 3772. 7-5789. 3, P < 0. 001) for each increase in the number of complications, and 42552. 2 (95%CI: 8309-76795. 4, P = 0. 015) if a key esophagectomy complication developed. Key esophagectomy complications drove the costs directly by 11415. 7 (95%CI: 992. 5-21838. 9, P = 0. 032). CONCLUSION The severity and number of complications, and the development of key esophagectomy complications significantly contributed to total hospital costs. Continuous institutional initiatives and strategies are needed to enhance patient outcomes and minimize costs.
Buchholz et al. (Mon,) studied this question.