139. Utilization Fraction of Instruments in Panniculectomies: Cost Reduction Through Surgical Tray Optimization

PURPOSE: Utilization fraction of surgical instruments ranges between 13% - 47%, however there is a paucity of data regarding reconstructive and aesthetic procedures. Our objective is to evaluate the utilization of surgical instruments in panniculectomies to curate smaller, more efficient surgical trays and reduce unnecessary costs. METHODS: This is an ongoing prospective study. The total number of instruments opened were recorded at the start of each case. Used instruments were separated and counted at the conclusion of each case and verified by operative staff. Processing costs were estimated at approximately $1.56 per instrument using data from our institution’s central sterilization processing department. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Microsoft Excel. RESULTS: Two surgeons performed panniculectomies at two sites. Across our recorded cases, an average of 121.2 instruments were opened (range 70-198) with an average of 16.8 instruments used (range 7-24). Average percentage of total used instruments across all cases was 16.4%. Given this data, estimated costs of tray reprocessing at our institution average at $189.07 (range $109.20 - $308.88), with reprocessing of unused instruments accounting for an average of $162.86 (range $76.44 - $282.36) per tray. CONCLUSION: In 2021, a total of 270 panniculectomies were performed, and in conjunction with our preliminary data, we estimate the total cost of unused instrument processing for panniculectomies annually at our institution ranges from $20,638.80 to $76,237.20. Future data will include a cost analysis of an optimized surgical tray and protocol creation for application to additional surgical procedures.