Abstract

BackgroundThe management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures is controversial, and most injuries are treated with surgery in the USA. The cost utility of operative versus non-operative treatment of acute Achilles tendon injury is unclear.Questions/PurposesThe purpose of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of operative versus functional non-operative treatment of acute Achilles tendon ruptures.MethodsA Markov cost-utility analysis was conducted from the societal perspective using a 2-year time horizon. Hospital costs were derived from New York State billing data, and physician and rehabilitation costs were derived from the Medicare physician fee schedule. Indirect costs of missed work were calculated using estimates from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Rates of re-rupture, major and minor complications, and the associated costs were obtained from the literature. Effectiveness was expressed in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). For the base-case analysis, operative and non-operative patients were assumed to have the same utilities (quality of life) following surgery. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of model assumptions.ResultsIn the base-case model, non-operative management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures dominated operative management, resulting in both lower costs and greater QALY gains. The differences in costs and effectiveness were relatively small. The benefit of non-operative treatment was 1.69 QALYs, and the benefit of operative treatment was 1.67 QALYs. Similarly, the total cost of operative and non-operative management was $13,936 versus $13,413, respectively. In sensitivity analyses, surgical costs and days of missed work were important drivers of cost-effectiveness. If hospitalization costs dropped below $2621 (compared with $3145) or the hourly wage rose above $29 (compared with $24), then operative treatment became a cost-effective strategy at the willingness-to-pay threshold of $50,000/QALY. The model results were also highly sensitive to the relative utilities for operative versus non-operative treatment. If non-operative utilities decreased relative to operative utilities by just 2%, then operative management became the dominant treatment strategy.ConclusionFor acute Achilles tendon ruptures, non-operative treatment provided greater benefits and lower costs than operative management in the base case; however, surgical costs and the economic impact associated with return to work are important determinants of the preferred cost-effective strategy.

Highlights

  • The management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures is controversial, and most injuries are treated with surgery in the USA

  • A Markov cost-utility analysis was conducted from the societal perspective to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of operative versus non-operative management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures over a 2-year time horizon

  • Accelerated functional rehabilitation differs from traditional rehabilitation protocols for Achilles tendon injury in that patients are progressed to early weight bearing, thereby limiting delays in return to work and activities of daily living

Read more

Summary

Introduction

The management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures is controversial, and most injuries are treated with surgery in the USA. The cost utility of operative versus non-operative treatment of acute Achilles tendon injury is unclear. Questions/Purposes: The purpose of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of operative versus functional non-operative treatment of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Methods: A Markov cost-utility analysis was conducted from the societal perspective using a 2-year time horizon. Effectiveness was expressed in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). For the base-case analysis, operative and non-operative patients were assumed to have the same utilities (quality of life) following surgery. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the robustness of model assumptions. Results: In the base-case model, non-operative management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures dominated operative management, resulting in both lower costs and greater

Objectives
Methods
Conclusion
Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.