FastFrame Knee Spanning External Fixation Associated With Lower Cost Than Modular Frame Configurations: A Comparative...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Trauma Care
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• External fixation is a significant cost driver in tibial plateau fracture treatment.
• Surgeon-dependent choices in external fixation impact overall healthcare costs.
• Value-based care initiatives necessitate cost-effective orthopedic solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the cost-effectiveness of a prepackaged, single-use external fixation system (FastFrame) versus standard modular frames.
• To evaluate differences in surgical time and distraction loss between the two fixation methods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study at a Level 1 trauma center.
• Fifty-nine patients with Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen/Orthopedic Trauma Association 41-B/C tibial plateau fractures were analyzed.
• Comparison between Zimmer FastFrame and conventional modular external fixators.

Main Results:

• FastFrame showed a 24.9% reduction in surgical time (P=0.002).
• Supply and implant costs were 37% lower with FastFrame (P<0.001).
• FastFrame demonstrated less loss of distraction (P=0.02).

Conclusions:

• The FastFrame system is more cost-effective than conventional modular external fixators.
• FastFrame offers reduced surgical times and comparable clinical outcomes regarding distraction.
• This system presents a viable, cost-saving alternative in orthopedic trauma care.