# Healthcare Resource Utilization and Cost After Temperature‐Controlled Radiofrequency Treatment of Nasal Airway Obstruction: A Real‐World Longitudinal Claims Analysis

## TL;DR

A study shows that temperature-controlled radiofrequency treatment for nasal airway obstruction reduces healthcare use and costs over two years compared to medical management.

## Contribution

This paper provides real-world evidence of long-term cost savings and reduced healthcare utilization following TCRF treatment for nasal valve collapse.

## Key findings

- TCRF treatment led to significant reductions in healthcare resource utilization and costs over 24 months.
- Mean daily costs decreased by 43.1% in the TCRF cohort, while increasing by 50.4% in medically managed patients.
- Total cost savings of $21,418.26 were observed for TCRF-treated patients compared to a cost increase in medically managed patients.

## Abstract

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.

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.

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.

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.