Hyaluronic acid as an alternative treatment option for degenerative rotator cuff tears.

Rotator cuff tears have a high prevalence in older people. This research examines the clinical outcome of the non-operative treatment of symptomatic degenerative rotator cuff tears with hyaluronic acid (HA) injections. 72 patients (43 females/29 males), with an average age of 66 years with symptomatic degenerative full- thickness rotator cuff tear, confirmed with arthro-CT, were treated with three intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections and followed on multiple observational moments during a 5-year follow-up using the SF- 36 (Short-Form Health Survey), DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand), CMS (Constant Murley Score), and OSS (Oxford Shoulder Scale. 54 patients completed the 5-year follow-up questionnaire. 77% of the patients did not require additional treatment for their shoulder pathology, and 89% were treated conservatively. Only 11% of the patients included in this study needed surgery. Between subjects, the analysis revealed a significant difference in response in the DASH (p=0.015) and CMS (p=0.033) when the subscapularis muscle was involved. Intra-articular infiltrations with hyaluronic acid improve pain and shoulder function, especially if the subscapularis muscle is not involved.

An early health technology assessment of 3D anatomic models in pediatric congenital heart surgery: potential cost-effectiveness and decision uncertainty.

Background: Three-dimensional anatomic models have been used for surgical planning and simulation in pediatric congenital heart surgery. This research is the first to evaluate the potential cost-effectiveness of 3D anatomic models with the intent to guide surgeons and decision makers on its use.Method: A decision tree and subsequent Markov model with a 15-year time horizon was constructed and analyzed for nine cardiovascular surgeries. Epidemiological, clinical, and economic data were derived from databases. Literature and experts were consulted to close data gaps. Scenario, one-way, threshold, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis captured methodological and parameter uncertainty.Results: Incremental costs of using anatomical models ranged from -366€ (95% credibility interval: -2595€; 1049€) in the Norwood operation to 1485€ (95% CI: 1206€; 1792€) in atrial septal defect repair. Incremental health-benefits ranged from negligible in atrial septal defect repair to 0.54 Quality Adjusted Life Years (95% CI: 0.06; 1.43) in truncus arteriosus repair. Variability in the results was mainly caused by a temporary postoperative quality-adjusted life years gain.Conclusion: For complex operations, the implementation of anatomic models is likely to be cost-effective on a 15 year time horizon. For the right indication, these models thus provide a clinical advantage at an acceptable cost.

Do custom 3D-printed revision acetabular implants provide enough value to justify the additional costs? The health-economic comparison of a new porous 3D-printed hip implant for revision arthroplasty of Paprosky type 3B acetabular defects and its closest alternative.

PURPOSE: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common operation for patients suffering from hip arthrosis. It has been proven effective in improving quality of life while being cost-effective. Meanwhile, the number of revision hip arthroplasty is growing and those may require bone reconstruction and are potential indications for 3D custom implants. In these specific indications, medical 3D-printing has grown over the years and the use of 3D-printed implants has become more frequent. To date, the cost-effectiveness of 3D-printed implants for acetabular revision THA has not been evaluated. Therefore we performed a health economic analysis to: (1) analyse the cost-effectiveness of the aMace implant compared to its closest alternative on the market, (2) have a better insight into Belgian costs of revision hip arthroplasties and (3) estimate the budget impact in Belgium. HYPOTHESIS: 3D-printed acetabular implants provide good value-for-health in Paprosky type 3B defects in a Belgian setting. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Custom Three-flanged Acetabular Components (CTAC) were compared to a 3D-printed implant (aMace) by means of a Markov model with four states (successful, re-revision, resection and dead). The cycle length was set at 6 months with a 10-year time horizon. Data was obtained through systematic literature search and provided by a large social security agency. The analysis was performed from a societal perspective. All amounts are displayed in 2019 euros. Discount rates were applied for future cost (3%) and QALY (1.5%) estimates. RESULTS: Revision hip arthroplasty has an average societal cost of €9950 without implant. Based on the outcomes of our model, aMace provides an excellent value for money compared to CTAC. The Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) was negative for all age groups. The base case of a 65 year old person, showed a QALY gain of 0.05 with a cost reduction of €1265 compared to CTAC. The advantage of using aMace was found to be greater if a patient is younger. The re-revision rates of both CTAC and aMace and the utility of successful revision have the highest impact on costs and effects. A Monte Carlo simulation showed aMace to be a cost-effective strategy in 90% of simulations for younger patients and in 88% of simulations for patients above 85 years old. In Belgium it would imply a cost reduction of €20500 on an annual basis. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of this model, the new 3D-printed aMace implant has the potential to bring an excellent value for money when used in revision arthroplasty of Paprosky type 3B acetabular defects. For all patients, aMace resulted in a dominant, cost-saving strategy in Belgium compared to CTAC. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, comparative medico economical diagnostic tool.

Direct Medical Costs of Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease Surgery in a Belgian University Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: The recent trend to optimize the efficiency of health-care systems requires objective clinical and economic data. European data on the cost of surgical procedures to repair or palliate congenital heart disease in pediatric patients are lacking. METHODS: A single-center study was conducted. Bootstrap analysis of variance and bootstrap independent t test assessed the excess direct medical costs associated with minor and major complications in nine surgical procedure types, from a health-care payer perspective. Generalized linear models with log-link function and inverse Gaussian family were used to determine associated covariates with the total hospitalization cost. Descriptive statistics show the repartition between out-of-pocket expenditures and reimbursed costs. RESULTS: Four hundred thirty-seven patients were included. Mean hospitalization costs ranged from €11,106 (atrial septal defect repair) to €33,865 (Norwood operation). Operations with major complications yielded excess costs compared to operations with no complications, ranging from €7,105 (+65.2%) for a truncus arteriosus repair to €27,438 (+251.7%) for a tetralogy of Fallot repair. Differences in costs were limited between operations with minor versus no complications. Age at procedure, intensive care unit stay, procedure risk category, reintervention, and postoperative mechanical circulatory support were associated with higher total hospitalization costs. Out-of-pocket expenditures represented 6% of total hospitalization costs. CONCLUSION: Operations with major complications yield excess costs, compared to operations with minor or no complications. Cost data and attribution are important to improve clinical practice in a cost-effective manner. The health-care system benefits from strategies and technological advancements that have an impact on modifiable cost-affecting parameters.

3D-printing techniques in a medical setting: a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) printing has numerous applications and has gained much interest in the medical world. The constantly improving quality of 3D-printing applications has contributed to their increased use on patients. This paper summarizes the literature on surgical 3D-printing applications used on patients, with a focus on reported clinical and economic outcomes. METHODS: Three major literature databases were screened for case series (more than three cases described in the same study) and trials of surgical applications of 3D printing in humans. RESULTS: 227 surgical papers were analyzed and summarized using an evidence table. The papers described the use of 3D printing for surgical guides, anatomical models, and custom implants. 3D printing is used in multiple surgical domains, such as orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, cranial surgery, and spinal surgery. In general, the advantages of 3D-printed parts are said to include reduced surgical time, improved medical outcome, and decreased radiation exposure. The costs of printing and additional scans generally increase the overall cost of the procedure. CONCLUSION: 3D printing is well integrated in surgical practice and research. Applications vary from anatomical models mainly intended for surgical planning to surgical guides and implants. Our research suggests that there are several advantages to 3D-printed applications, but that further research is needed to determine whether the increased intervention costs can be balanced with the observable advantages of this new technology. There is a need for a formal cost-effectiveness analysis.