Closed Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy is Cost-Effective at Reducing Superficial Surgical Site Infections

Area of Science:

• Surgical Innovation
• Health Economics
• Infectious Disease Prevention

Background:

• Surgical site infections (SSIs) impose a substantial economic burden exceeding $3.3 billion annually.
• SSIs are associated with increased antibiotic resistance, prolonged hospitalization, higher mortality rates, and reduced quality of life.
• Emerging evidence suggests prophylactic closed incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) can mitigate post-operative wound complications, including SSIs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ciNPWT compared to routine incision care for superficial SSI prevention.
• To determine the economic viability of implementing ciNPWT in surgical settings.

Main Methods:

• A cost-effectiveness decision analytic model was developed comparing ciNPWT use versus non-use.
• Data on SSI probabilities, treatment costs, and quality of life (SF-36) were sourced from literature reviews.
• Model robustness was assessed using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

Main Results:

• ciNPWT was found to be cost-effective in reducing superficial SSIs when the baseline infection rate exceeded approximately 6.4%.
• Probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that 95.4% of simulations favored ciNPWT as the more effective strategy, even with parameter uncertainty.
• The analysis considered a willingness-to-pay threshold of $5,000.

Conclusions:

• Despite the initial device cost, ciNPWT is a cost-effective method for preventing superficial SSIs.
• The findings support the use of ciNPWT across diverse surgical infection risk profiles.
• ciNPWT represents a valuable tool for improving surgical outcomes and reducing healthcare expenditures.