Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nasal airway obstruction (NAO) is prevalent with substantial health and quality of life burdens. Nasal valve collapse (NVC) is one structural cause of NAO. Temperature-controlled radiofrequency (TCRF) nasal valve remodeling offers an alternative to invasive surgery. Clinical efficacy is established, but the impacts of TCRF on healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and cost in real-world settings remain underexplored. METHODS: Two cohorts with NAO were defined from a large general NAO population: the TCRF cohort with an isolated TCRF (index) procedure and a propensity-matched medically managed (MM) cohort without nasal procedures. HRU and costs were evaluated within a 24-month pre-/post-index period for both. RESULTS: A total of 10,206 TCRF and 50,766 MM patients were analyzed. Significant post-index reductions were observed for TCRF across all-cause Evaluation & Management (E&M) visits, ENT-related procedures, and sleep-related claim categories. A large reduction in mean daily post-index costs was seen for the TCRF cohort: $68.07 pre-index to $38.75 post-index (-43.1%). Mean daily costs went up in the MM cohort from $42.08 pre-index to $63.26 post-index (+50.4%), resulting in total cost savings of $21,418.26 for the TCRF cohort and a total cost increase of $15,471.99 in the MM cohort in the 24-month post-index period. TCRF cost reductions were driven by reductions in NAO-related HRU. CONCLUSIONS: In this large, real-world analysis, TCRF treatment for NVC-related NAO demonstrated substantial reductions in HRU and total costs of care, demonstrating sustained savings over 2 years relative to MM patients.