Cost-effectiveness of replacing skeletal traction by interlocked intramedullary nailing for femoral shaft fractures in a provincial trauma hospital in Cambodia.
In this article the costs and effectiveness of introducing the SIGN nailing system for femoral shaft fractures in a provincial trauma hospital in Cambodia are compared to those of Perkin's traction treatment. At an average cost per patient of $1,107 in the traction group and $888 in the nail group (p < 0.01), and with better clinical outcomes in the nail group, internal fixation is more cost-effective than conservative treatment.
School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. froggydoc@comcast.net
Richard A
RA
Gosselin
Merja
M
Heitto
Lew
L
Zirkle
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001858:Bone Nails / Q000191:economics; D002160:Cambodia; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014143:Traction / Q000191:economics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult