Impact of osteosynthesis in fracture care: a cost comparison study

• Published in: Journal of comparative effectiveness research Vol. 9; no. 7; pp. 483 - 496
• Main Authors: Eichler, Klaus, Höglinger, Marc, Meier, Flurina, Knöfler, Fabio, Scholz-Odermatt, Stefan M, Brügger, Urs, Denk, Eberhard, Gutzwiller, Felix, Prein, Joachim, Renner, Nikolaus, Joeris, Alexander
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.05.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Aged; bone fracture; Bones; cost comparison; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Costs; Costs and Cost Analysis; Decision Trees; Developed Countries; Economic impact; Female; Femoral Fractures - surgery; Fracture Fixation, Internal - economics; Fracture Fixation, Internal - methods; Fractures; Fractures, Bone - surgery; Health Care Costs; Humans; impact evaluation; Infections; Innovations; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Older people; osteosynthesis; patient benefit; Patients; Probability; Radius Fractures - surgery; return to work; technology; Thromboembolism; Tibial Fractures - surgery; Switzerland; costs; patient benefit; return to work; osteosynthesis; bone fracture; impact evaluation; technology; cost comparison
• ISSN: 2042-6305; 2042-6313
• DOI: 10.2217/cer-2019-0194

To estimate the health economic impact of osteosynthesis (OS) in fracture care over six decades in 17 high-income countries. Applying a decision tree model, we assumed a hypothetical absence of OS and compared OS (intervention) with conservative treatment (CONS; comparator). We included patients with femur, tibia and radius fractures (age <65 years) and for proximal femur fractures also elderly patients (≥70 years). We estimated savings in direct and indirect costs of 855 billion Swiss francs in the working age population in addition to 4.6 million years of life gained. In the elderly population, 69 billion Swiss francs were saved in direct costs of proximal femur fractures in addition to 73 million years of life gained. OS contributed to maximize health gains of society.