The Financial Impact of Laparoscopy versus Laparotomy in the Treatment of Uterine Leiomyomata
To compare the efficiency of two surgical techniques to remove uterine myomata, 120 premenopausal women were included in this case control study based on the criteria of no previous operations, size of leiomyoma, and age. Sixty patients were treated by laparoscopy (group 1) and 60 by laparotomy (group 2). The hospital stay for group 1 was shorter than that for group 2 (3.53 &plusmn; 1.33 and 7.98 &plusmn; 2.05 days, p <0.001). The rate of total complications (body temperature >38&deg; C, hemoglobin <8.5 g/100 ml, infiltration of abdominal sutures, dysuria, reduction in blood platelets) was 13% in group 1 versus 53% in group 2 (p <0.001). The mean cost for each surgical treatment was $628.71 and $652.40, respectively. The mean entire cost (surgery plus hospital stay) was $1357.23 and $2298.90, respectively (p <0.001). The savings were detectable after 9 and 52 operations, respectively, whether including all expenditures or only the cost of surgery. The cost saving of the entire treatment for 60 operations was $56,500.12.
Bulletti
C
1st Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti, 13, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Albonetti
A
Rossi
S
Polli
V
Giacomucci
E
Negrini
V
Flamigni
C