OBJECTIVES: Advances in electrosurgical technologies may improve clinical outcomes and economic value across various procedure types. Holistic evaluations of devices may be more pragmatic and efficient than product-by-product comparisons, especially important in cost-constrained environments. This study aimed to develop a model that evaluates the economic value of introducing a category of electrosurgical devices into Chinese hospitals.

METHODS: An economic model was developed including hospital resource use and costs of a CEP (comprehensive electrosurgical portfolio; manufactured by Ethicon, Inc.) vs. IEC (individual electrosurgical components; manufactured by Medtronic plc and respective manufacturers). The CEP comprised complementary devices that enable safe and effective electrosurgery: reusable patient return electrodes, handheld smoke evacuation, advanced bipolar and ultrasonic devices. Comparator IEC comprised single-use return electrodes, conventional smoke evacuation methods (e.g., masks, wall suction), and conventional electrosurgical modalities (mechanical, monopolar, basic bipolar). Hospital resources included device costs, operating time, length of stay, blood loss and transfusions, and surgical complications. Model inputs were derived from randomized trials and literature-reported Chinese unit costs, converted to USD.

RESULTS: For thoracic procedures, the model predicted cost savings with CEP compared with IEC, from $617-$1,512 USD per patient, with advanced bipolar or ultrasonic devices, respectively. For gynecological, colorectal, and hepato-pancreato-biliary surgical specialties, CEP implementation resulted in cost savings from $219-$9,457 USD per patient, depending on procedure type. Also, when including reusable return electrodes, economic value with CEP showed an additional $1,658 per unit savings per year. Further economic benefits may be realized with complementary use of handheld smoke evacuation devices, via optimized procedure workflow and surgeon/nurse productivity.

CONCLUSIONS: Introducing effective electrosurgical devices with a holistic view of this category’s interconnected technologies can save hospital resources and lead to cost savings. Future studies should further examine electrosurgery resource use to allow more accurate quantification of economic value across surgery types and outcomes.