[Cost of miniplate osteosynthesis for treatment of mandibular fractures: a prospective evaluation].
OBJECTIVE
Up to now in maxillofacial surgery almost all inpatient treatments were reimbursed at the hospital's per diem rate. The real treatment cost is unknown and there is a lack of publications in this sphere. This study calculates the cost of surgical treatment of mandibular fractures.


METHODS
The prospective study includes 104 patients whose mandibular fractures were treated using miniplate osteosynthesis. For each patient we took into account the time input by physicians and specialised nurses and calculated labour cost using the relevant wage rates. We added the cost for materials and drugs as well as for laboratory and radiographic examinations. Finally, we incorporated charges for the hotel and nursing components of inpatient treatment.


RESULTS
The cost for the surgical treatment of mandibular fractures varied between 642 euro; for single and 1,070 euro; for triple fractures. The share of labour cost is about 1/3. Treatment cost varies with the length of hospital stay: 1,132 euro; for four days and 1,628 euro; for seven days on average.


CONCLUSIONS
This prospective study can be compared with the recently published corresponding G-DRG rates. Moreover, the reported cost figures allow comparison with corresponding cost studies from other public health systems.
Klinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie der Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg. christian.zahl@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
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D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000191:economics*; D005858:Germany; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008337:Mandibular Fractures / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000191:economics