Open AccessImmediate costs of mini-open versus arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in an Asian population
Author(s) -
Yik Jing Hui,
Alex Quok An Teo,
Siddharth Sharma,
Bien-Soo Tan,
Veerendra Kumar
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.457
H-Index - 40
eISSN - 2309-4990
pISSN - 1022-5536
DOI - 10.1177/2309499016684496
Subject(s) - medicine , rotator cuff , surgery , elbow , cuff , population , tears , environmental health
Objective: While there has been increasing interest in minimally invasive surgery, the expenses incurred by patients undergoing this form of surgery have not been comprehensively studied. The authors compared the costs borne by patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with the standard mini-open repair at a tertiary hospital in an Asian population.Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. The authors studied the inpatient hospital bills of patients following rotator cuff tear repair between January 2010 and October 2014 via the hospital electronic medical records system. 148 patients had arthroscopic repair and 78 had mini-open repair. The cost of implants, consumables, and the total cost of hospitalization were analyzed. Operative times and length of stay for both procedures were also studied. Constant scores and American Shoulder Elbow Scores (ASES) were recorded preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively.Results: Three fellowship-trained surgeons performed arthroscopic repairs and one performed the mini-open repair. The cost of implants and consumables was significantly higher with arthroscopic repair. The duration of surgery was also significantly longer with that technique. There was no difference in length of stay between the two techniques. There was also no difference in Constant scores or ASES scores, both preoperatively and at 1 year postoperatively.Conclusions: The immediate costs of mini-open repair of rotator cuff tears are significantly less than that of arthroscopic repair. Most of the difference arises from the cost of implants and consumables. Equivalent functional outcomes from both techniques suggest that mini-open repair may be more cost-effective.