[Economic aspects of implementation of the mechanical heart, "HeartMate"]

This economic evaluation was performed to assess the economic consequences for society and for the Danish health care sector of replacing the traditional treatment with Biomedicus assist device with The Mechanical Heart, HeartMate, as a bridge to transplantation for patients with severe cardiac failure. A cost-effectiveness analysis showed that the use of HeartMate is more cost-effective than the use of Biomedicus assist device. Using HeartMate one life-year gained costs DKK 225,000. Using Biomedicus one life-year gained costs DKK 270,000. The use of HeartMate results in an additional expenditure of DKK 615,000 per patient. By this additional expenditure the patients gain 3.6 extra life-years on average. The marginal expenditure by replacing the Biomedicus treatment with HeartMate is DKK 170,000 per extra life-year gained.