Cost effectiveness of bilateral simultaneous versus staged knee arthroplasties

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the cost effectiveness of bilateral simultaneous knee arthroplasty in experienced hands. This descriptive study was done in the Shotley Bridge General Hospital county Durham England from 2000-2003 on 26 patients undergoing bilateral simultaneous knee arthroplasty. Patients were randomized in two equal groups. Group A included 13 patients and had staged knee arthoplasty i.e. they had the same procedure in two hospital admissions under different anesthetic session. Group B comprised of 13 patients, underwent simultaneous knee arthroplasty. Same type of knee prosthesis was used in all cases and were operated by same surgeon in same institution. In group A, 9 [69.2%] patients had osteoarthritis and 4 [30.8%] had rheumatoid arthritis while in group B twelve patients had osteoarthritis and one had rheumatoid arthritis. Only one patient had transient ischemic attack in group A while there was one case of deep vein thrombosis in group B. Average hospital stay for both groups was 15 days. The average cost for group A was Sterling [pound] 8950/-[Rs.1163500/-] and for group B was Sterling [pound] 5265/-[Rs.684450/-]. This study shows that bilateral simultaneous arthroplasty is cost effective in experienced hands and do not have increased rate of complications