Non-Oral Poster 50

Subcutaneous Venous Access Device Removal: A Cost Analysis

Objectives

Most patients being treated for gynecologic malignancies have vascular access devices for chemotherapy administration. Once the prescribed treatment is completed and/or the patient has surpassed a certain time endpoint, the device is removed. However, the ideal setting (outpatient-clinic versus outpatient- operating room) for removal has not been shown. The current study performed a cost analysis of outpatient-clinic removal, with local anesthesia, versus outpatient-operating room removal, with

Materials and Methods

All patients with vascular access devices removed by active physician members of Memorial University Medical Center, Savannah, Georgia, from January 1, 2010, to June 1, 2013, were identified. We matched the number of the solo practitioner's removal in the outpatient setting to one of the provider's in the other surgical setting in the hospital. Patient demographic information, including age, sex, race, BMI, comorbidities, type and stage of cancer, location of port removal, and complications

Results

Regardless of the setting for removal of the vascular access device, no differences in complications were seen when controlled for age, BMI, comorbid status, or cancer stage. However, removing the devices in the outpatient clinical setting was more cost effective than removing the devices in the operating room ($700 versus $1485-$3325, respectively).

Conclusion

This study is the first economic evaluation of venue for the removal of a vascular access device, showing that not only is the clinic-outpatient location safe, but performing these removals in this setting provides a significant cost savings over the outpatient-operating room location.

DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• Brandon Woodard: Nothing to disclose

• James Burke: Nothing to disclose