Cost-effective surgical intervention in chronic rhinosinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a prevalent condition known to impair the quality of life (QOL) of patients with the condition. There is a growing understanding of the direct and indirect cost burden to both the patients and the
society. Loss of productivity, medication usage, and hospitalisation costs are significant. Sinus surgery is usually considered only when medical management fails. There is a paucity of randomised data; however, evidence supports the role of surgery in reducing the impact of CRS on QOL. Often performed in a day-case setting, the costs of surgery are relatively modest. Cost-effectiveness studies suggest that surgery becomes a cost-effective strategy compared with 2–3 years of ongoing medical management. There are insufficient data to currently define the optimum timing of and nature of surgery performed from a cost-effectiveness perspective.