The researchers examined 5,710 AIS inpatient cases and used discharge data from the 2009 Kids’ Inpatient Database as part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to examine costs.
The patients with high screw density had 1.8 screws per fused level and the standard screw density was 1.48 screws per fused level. Researchers set the surgical return for screw malposition at $23,762. The researchers found:
1. There was a screw cost variation between $600 and $1,000. The variation for screw malposition rate was 0.117 percent to 0.483 percent of screws and 0.8 percent to 4.3 percent of patients.
2. The total annual costs for hospital stays were $278 million, around $48,900 per patient.
3. When substituting a high for a standard screw density, there were 3.2 fewer screws implanted per patient.
4. The high for standard screw density substitution yielded 932 malposition screws prevented as well as 21 to 88 revision surgeries for implant malposition averted.
5. The potential cost savings when replacing the high for standard screw density was $11 million to $20 million, which includes a 4 percent to 7 percent total hospitalization cost reduction.
“Reducing the number of screws used in scoliosis surgery could potentially decrease national AIS hospitalization costs by up to 7 percent, which may improve the safety and efficiency of care,” concluded the study authors. “However, such a screw must first be proven safe and effective.”
More articles on spine surgery:
5 things to know about surgical consent for adolescent scoliosis surgery
Laminectomy vs. discectomy: 7 things ot know about factors affecting spine surgery cost
Looking ahead to 2016: What excites spine surgeons most?
