Operative Management of Emergency General Surgery Conditions: Higher Costs Which Persist Over Time

Operative management of emergency general surgery conditions leads to higher in-hospital costs compared to nonoperative management, with costs remaining higher or equivalent through 180 days. Out-of-pocket costs are similar for both approaches. For hepatopancreaticobiliary conditions, costs for operative management start higher but become equivalent at 90 and 180 days. These findings have implications for decision-making by clinicians, patients, and health systems when clinical outcomes are similar.