Sometimes surgery is necessary but it’s usually a good idea to avoid it if it’s unnecessary. At Dallas ENT, we offer in-office procedures as an alternative to surgery to help patients stay out of operating rooms.
But what is the difference between a procedure and a surgery?
Top Surgery and Procedure Differences
Fees
The biggest difference between the two is the fees.
When it comes to surgery, you pay several different fees which may become a burden on your wallet. You typically pay a facility fee, anesthesia fee, and a surgeon fee. During a procedure, however, you only pay the surgeon fee.
- Facility Fee (Surgery Only):
The facility fee is essentially what is put down to rent the operating room. Coverage includes, for example, the nurse’s pay, the drugs that are used, administrative costs, utilities, etc. Facility Fees for Nasal Surgery can range from $5,000 to upwards of $10,000. As they are conducted in a doctor’s office, you don’t have to pay facility fees for a procedure. - Anesthesia Fee (Surgery Only):
This is the fee that is paid to the anesthesiologist to put you in a medical coma. This fee ranges anywhere from $1,800 to $2,000. Because there is no anesthesia during a procedure you don't pay this fee. - Surgeon Fee (Surgery and Procedure):
This is the only fee that you pay for when having either a procedure or surgery. This is the fee that goes to the surgeon. It can range anywhere from $500 to $1,000.
By having an in-office procedure, instead of surgery, you can save money and not put a strain on your wallet. You don’t need to be $7300 to $13000 in the hole to be able to breathe again.
Safety
Surgeries can be more dangerous than procedures. They also carry more risk of complications.
- Bleeding
During surgery, you will bleed significantly more than during an in-office procedure. One potential reason is that there is less cutting involved, but it also may be that, during an anesthesia-induced coma, your blood vessels dilate. This leads to more bleeding and risk for blood loss. During a procedure, you don't have to worry about blood loss because there is not as much cutting and no anesthesia. - Anesthesia
Anesthesia comes with many risks. First, when you have anesthesia, you are not asleep you are in a medically induced coma. This can be scary to some people who are worried about waking up. Another risk is that you bleed more when under anesthesia and this can lead to blood loss. But with an in-office procedure, you only take a few pills and then fall asleep. Leading to no coma risks and no risk for excess blood loss. In-office procedures are a lot less worrisome than surgeries. You can rest easy the night before a procedure instead of being up all night pacing the floor in hopes that your surgery will go well.
Recovery
When it comes to surgery painful recovery can take weeks. This is due to several factors.
- Excess bleeding may occur during surgery prolonging recovery times
- The packing that is used slows recovery while it is in
- Narcotics prescribed after surgery may hinder the ability to recover after surgery
But when you have an in-office procedure, there is no excess bleeding. There is no packing. There are no narcotics because there is no pain. In-office procedures are more delicate which means you will be back up and enjoying your Dallas life with more enjoyment than ever within a day or two. There is no need to suffer through long recovery.
