[Analysis of Costs Associated with Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY No study has so far been published in the Czech Republic that would try to at least estimate the costs associated with revision total knee arthroplasties (TKA). The purpose of our study was to determine the total costs of primary and revision TKA for aseptic and septic failure and to determine the structure of costs, all with respect to a single workplace in the Czech Republic. MATERIAL AND METHODS The group included a total of 43 patients aged 55 to 82 years, of whom 23 (53.5%) with primary TKA implantation, 10 (23.3%) patients with revision surgery for aseptic failure, and 10 patients for septic failure of TKA. The costs of TKA were calculated retrospectively, factoring in all the items of reported care sent to the health insurance company system. The resulting costs reflected the appropriate payments in CZK based on the point value in the year concerned. RESULTS The average costs of uncomplicated primary TKA implantation amounted to CZK 136,279; the surgical treatment of aseptic failure of TKA was CZK 189,634; and the surgical treatment of septic failure of TKA was CZK 296,189. In all the evaluated cases, the highest cost item was the material of the implant (43.5 to 54.2% of the total costs), followed by the bed costs (19.8 to 21.6%), and the third highest cost item being the performance of surgery (13.6 to 16.5%). The costs of the physician's services represented 12.8 to 14.7% of the total costs and 23.6 to 33.8% of the costs of the implants. The costs associated with the treatment of infection by multiple-stage reimplantation were 5.4 times higher than when DAIR (revision surgery with debridement, irrigation, original implant retention) was used. The average costs of inpatient rehabilitation accounted for CZK 23,046 and the insurance company reimbursed on average CZK 33,544 for a 4-week therapeutic spa treatment. DISCUSSION The finding that the revision TKA is several times more expensive than the primary TKA and that the multiple-stage total knee reimplantation is the most expensive corresponds with the literature. In the Czech Republic, the dominant cost item is the cost of the implant, namely in the total costs of both the primary and revision TKA, with the revision implants in our study being on average 2.1 times more expensive than the implants used for primary implantation. Besides, the costs of implants also considerably differ across countries. The costs of the physician's services ranked 4th in the list of cost items, which does not correspond with the data reported in Western Europe or the US. Conversely, the least difference was observed in the costs of preoperative preparation and auxiliary examinations. CONCLUSIONS We have concluded in our study that the average costs of the total knee replacement for aseptic failure were 1.9 times higher than the costs of primary surgery. The average costs of treatment for septic failure (two-stage procedure) were 2.7 times higher compared to primary surgery. In case of aseptic failure, the costs of total knee reimplantation were 2.7 times higher compared to the replacement of only polyethylene liner in case of instability and osteosynthesis in case of periprosthetic fracture, with components retention. The costs of septic failure therapy were 5.4 times higher in multiple-stage reimplantation compared to revision surgery with debridement, irrigation and original implant retention. Key words: total knee arthroplasty; total knee replacement; revision total knee arthroplasty; aseptic failure; septic failure; cost analysis.