Analysis of real-world length of stay data and costs associated with use of autologous skin cell suspension for the treatment of small burns in U.S. centers

• Published in: Burns Vol. 49; no. 3; pp. 607 - 614
• Main Authors: Carson, Joshua S., Carter, Jeffrey E., Hickerson, William L., Rae, Lisa, Saquib, Syed F., Wibbenmeyer, Lucy A., Becker, Russell V., Sparks, Jeremiah A., Walsh, Thomas P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2023
• Subjects: Adult; Autologous skin cell suspension; Burns - surgery; Cost savings; Female; Humans; Length of Stay; Male; Real-world data; Retrospective Studies; Skin; Skin Transplantation; Small burn injury; Transplantation, Autologous; United States; Wound Healing; United States; Small burn injury; Cost savings; Real-world data; Autologous skin cell suspension; Length of stay
• ISSN: 0305-4179; 1879-1409
• DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2022.11.007

Autologous skin cell suspension (ASCS) is a treatment for acute thermal burn injuries associated with significantly lower donor skin requirements than conventional split-thickness skin grafts (STSG). Projections using the BEACON model suggest that among patients with small burns (total body surface area [TBSA]<20 %), use of ASCS± STSG leads to a shorter length of stay (LOS) in hospital and cost savings compared with use of STSG alone. This study evaluated whether data from real-world clinical practice corroborate these findings. Electronic medical record data were collected from January 2019 through August 2020 from 500 healthcare facilities in the United States. Adult patients receiving inpatient treatment with ASCS± STSG for small burns were identified and matched to patients receiving STSG using baseline characteristics. LOS was assumed to cost $7554/day and to account for 70 % of overall costs. Mean LOS and costs were calculated for the ASCS± STSG and STSG cohorts. A total of 151 ASCS± STSG and 2243 STSG cases were identified; 63.0 % of patients were male and the average age was 44.2 years. Sixty-three matches were made between cohorts. LOS was 18.5 days with ASCS± STSG and 20.6 days with STSG (difference: 2.1 days [10.2 %]). This difference led to bed cost savings of $15,587.62 per ASCS± STSG patient. Overall cost savings with ASCS± STSG were $22,268.03 per patient. Analysis of real-world data shows that treatment of small burn injuries with ASCS± STSG provides reduced LOS and substantial cost savings compared with STSG, supporting the validity of the BEACON model projections. •Autologous skin cell suspension (ASCS) is an effective therapy for small burns.•The standard of care treatment is split-thickness skin grafts (STSG).•In this study of small burns, ASCS±STSG led to lower length of stay than STSG.•ASCS±STSG greatly reduced the costs of length of stay and overall treatment.•Use of ASCS±STSG in small burns may increase hospital bed capacity and revenue.