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Cost-utility of breast reduction surgery--a prospective study
E Tykkä1, P Räsänen, E Tukiainen
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. erika.tykka@hus.fi
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery : JPRAS
|November 28, 2008
Summary
Routine breast reduction surgery significantly improves health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and is cost-effective. The procedure offers a reasonable cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), comparable to other established surgical interventions.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Health Economics
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Breast reduction surgery is performed for various reasons, often impacting patients' quality of life.
- Assessing the economic value of surgical interventions is crucial for healthcare resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the cost-utility of routine breast reduction surgery.
- To determine the impact of breast reduction on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 80 patients undergoing breast reduction.
- Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was measured using the 15D survey pre- and post-surgery.
- Hospital costs were collected and analyzed to calculate cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY).
Main Results:
- Breast reduction surgery led to a statistically significant improvement in HRQoL scores (p<0.001).
- Patients gained an average of 0.930 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).
- The mean cost per QALY was 3638 euro, increasing to 8973 euro with 5% discounting.
Conclusions:
- Breast reduction surgery significantly enhances patient HRQoL.
- The procedure demonstrates a reasonable cost-utility ratio, comparable to hip-replacement surgery.
- Routine breast reduction surgery is a cost-effective intervention in a university hospital setting.
