The indirect cost of Patient-Specific Instruments

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Health economics
• Biomechanical engineering

Background:

• Patient Specific Instruments (PSI) are utilized in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with the aim of improving outcomes.
• The economic value and cost-effectiveness of PSI compared to conventional TKA require thorough evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To calculate the indirect costs associated with PSI in TKA.
• To compare the overall value of PSI-assisted TKA against conventional TKA using a cost model.

Main Methods:

• A comparative analysis of total costs (direct and indirect) for PSI-assisted TKA versus conventional TKA in 81 patients.
• Measurement of surgical times and coronal mechanical alignment to assess the effectiveness of the PSI system.

Main Results:

• Indirect costs for PSI-assisted TKA accounted for 459 euros, representing 40% of the total patient cost (up to 1142 euros).
• No statistically significant differences were found in surgical duration or coronal plane alignment between the PSI and conventional TKA groups.

Conclusions:

• The study found no added value for using PSI in primary TKA based on surgical efficiency or achieving neutral coronal mechanical alignment.
• The substantial indirect costs associated with PSI suggest a need for further investigation into their cost-effectiveness in TKA procedures.