A new study published in Spine examines cost-effectiveness for surgical and conservative treatment for thoracolumbar burst fractures.
The researchers examined patients who were admitted to university clinics between 2004 and 2008 with AO type A3 fractures. The patients were 18 years old to 65 years old. The researchers found:
1. Surgical management cost an extra 10,734 euros when compared with conservative management.
2. There was a 527 milligram difference in morphine administration between the two groups.
3. The narcotic analgesics were at negative eight defined daily doses and the non-narcotic analgesics were at negative three defined daily doses. The differences were insignificant.
4. The probability that surgery was cost-effective didn't exceed 50 percent for any value of willingness to pay for effect.
5. The researchers concluded surgical management wasn't a cost-effective strategy when compared with conservative treatment for the thoracolumbar bust fractures without neurological deficits.