Financial Impact of Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) Treatment [10G

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To estimate average quarterly medication and physician visit costs for patients with refractory overactive bladder, before and after 12 sessions of Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) treatment. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series for patients undergoing PTNS for the treatment of refractory overactive bladder. 23 patients had 12 weekly sessions of initial PTNS treatment; 18 met the criteria for 3-month follow-up before and after treatment. Number of follow-up visits, PTNS maintenance visits, and medications were collected quarterly for a year before and after treatment. Using known medication and visit costs, we calculated mean quarterly costs, and standard deviations for patients, and measured their significance using a 2-tailed paired t-test. RESULTS: The average quarterly medication cost decreased from $656.40 ±292.45 to $375.51 ±331.80 after PTNS (p=0.01). The average number of quarterly provider follow-up visits decreased from 1.34 ±0.78 to 0.40 ±0.63 (p=0.001). The average quarterly total provider cost was calculated using the cost of follow-up visits in addition to PTNS maintenance visits. The average quarterly total provider cost increased from $136.96 ±81.50 to $ 181.04 ±146.34 (p=0.286). However, the total provider cost for the last quarter decreased from $169.04 ±103.69 to $55.14 ±94.62 (p=.005). CONCLUSION: PTNS treatment significantly reduced the average quarterly cost of medications and the average number of provider follow-up visits on patients with refractory overactive bladder. The average total provider cost initially increased in the first three quarters following PTNS and decreased the last quarter due to a higher number of PTNS maintenance visits immediately after treatment.