TY - JOUR
T1 - Cost-effective prevention of pulmonary embolus in high-risk trauma patients
AU - Brasel, Karen J.
AU - Borgstrom, David C.
AU - Weigelt, John A.
PY - 1997/3
Y1 - 1997/3
N2 - Objective: To define the cost-effectiveness of screening ultrasound (US) and prophylactic inferior vena cava filters (VCF), approaches aimed at reducing the incidence of pulmonary embolus (PE) in high-risk trauma patients. Design: Cost-effective analysis. Materials and Methods: We constructed a decision tree with three approaches for PE prevention: no intervention, US, and VCF. Probabilities in each subtree were taken from published data. Sensitivity analyses evaluated all assumptions, probabilities, and outcomes for effects on baseline conclusions. Results: US is more cost-effective than VCF, with a cost/PE prevented of $46,300 compared with $93,700. The strategies become equally cost-effective only when VCF are placed in the radiology suite and length of stay is ≤ 2 weeks. Conclusions: US is the most cost-effective approach for PE prevention in high-risk trauma patients. VCF should be reserved for patients with an anticipated length of stay ≤ 2 weeks who can safely have a filter placed in the radiology suite.
AB - Objective: To define the cost-effectiveness of screening ultrasound (US) and prophylactic inferior vena cava filters (VCF), approaches aimed at reducing the incidence of pulmonary embolus (PE) in high-risk trauma patients. Design: Cost-effective analysis. Materials and Methods: We constructed a decision tree with three approaches for PE prevention: no intervention, US, and VCF. Probabilities in each subtree were taken from published data. Sensitivity analyses evaluated all assumptions, probabilities, and outcomes for effects on baseline conclusions. Results: US is more cost-effective than VCF, with a cost/PE prevented of $46,300 compared with $93,700. The strategies become equally cost-effective only when VCF are placed in the radiology suite and length of stay is ≤ 2 weeks. Conclusions: US is the most cost-effective approach for PE prevention in high-risk trauma patients. VCF should be reserved for patients with an anticipated length of stay ≤ 2 weeks who can safely have a filter placed in the radiology suite.
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U2 - 10.1097/00005373-199703000-00013
DO - 10.1097/00005373-199703000-00013
M3 - Article
C2 - 9095113
AN - SCOPUS:0030946634
SN - 0022-5282
VL - 42
SP - 456
EP - 462
JO - Journal of Trauma - Injury, Infection and Critical Care
JF - Journal of Trauma - Injury, Infection and Critical Care
IS - 3
ER -