Cost Effectiveness of Venous Leg Ulcer Healing Using Muscle Pump Activation

Area of Science:

• Vascular Medicine
• Health Economics
• Wound Care Management

Background:

• Venous Leg Ulcers (VLUs) represent a significant challenge in wound care, impacting patient quality of life and healthcare costs.
• Standard of Care (SOC) compression therapy is the current treatment, but healing rates can be variable.
• Novel therapeutic devices are being explored to improve VLU healing outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of using the Muscle Pump Activation (MPA) device in addition to SOC compression therapy for VLU treatment in Canada.
• To compare the direct wound care costs and healing rates of MPA plus SOC versus SOC alone.

Main Methods:

• A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using Canadian cost data for VLU treatment.
• Healing rates were extrapolated from a randomized controlled trial demonstrating MPA's efficacy over 4 weeks.
• The model projected costs and ulcer-free days over a 12-month period.

Main Results:

• Treatment with MPA plus SOC resulted in an average cost saving of $983.61 CAD per patient.
• An increase of 56.6 ulcer-free days per patient was observed.
• The Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) indicated a saving of $17.38 per additional ulcer-free day.

Conclusions:

• Incorporating the MPA device into VLU treatment protocols in Canada, alongside SOC, leads to faster healing and reduced direct wound care costs.
• The MPA device presents a cost-effective therapeutic option with the potential for significant financial benefits to the Canadian healthcare system.
• This approach offers improved patient outcomes through increased ulcer-free days and reduced treatment expenses.