Cost-Utility Analysis of Thumb Carpometacarpal Resection Arthroplasty: A Health Economic Study Using Real- World Data

Purpose Knowledge about the costs and benefits of hand surgical interventions is important for surgeons, payers, and policy makers. Little is known about the cost-effectiveness of surgery for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. The objective of this study was to examine patients' quality of life and economic costs, with focus on the cost-utility ratio 1 year after surgery for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis compared with that for continued nonsurgical management. Methods Patients with thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis indicated for resection arthroplasty were included in a prospective study. The quality of life (using European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions-5 Level), direct medical costs, and productivity losses were assessed up to 1 year after surgery. Baseline data at recruitment and costs sustained over 1 year before surgery served as a proxy for nonsurgical management. The total costs to gain 1 extra quality-adjusted life year and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were calculated from a health care system and a societal perspective. Results The mean European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions-5 Level value for 151 included patients improved significantly from 0.69 to 0.88 (after surgery). The productivity loss during the preoperative period was 47% for 49 working patients, which decreased to 26% 1 year after surgery. The total costs increased from US $20,451 in the preoperative year to US $24,374 in the postoperative year. This resulted in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of US $25,370 per quality-adjusted life year for surgery compared with that for simulated nonsurgical management. Conclusions The calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was clearly below the suggested Swiss threshold of US $92,000, indicating that thumb carpometacarpal surgery is a cost-effective intervention. (Copyright (C) 2022 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved.)

Automated summary

This study examines the cost-effectiveness of surgery for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis. The results show that patients' quality of life improves after surgery, with reduced productivity losses and increased total costs. Based on cost-effectiveness analysis, thumb carpometacarpal surgery is considered a cost-effective intervention.