title: Cost Comparison of Surgical and Endovascular Treatment of Unruptured Giant Intracranial Aneurysms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs), which are defined as intracranial aneurysms (IAs) with a diameter of ≥25 mm, are most likely associated with the highest treatment costs of all IAs. However, the treatment costs of unruptured GIAs have so far not been reported.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine direct costs of endovascular and surgical treatment of unruptured GIAs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively examined 55 patients with unruptured GIAs treated surgically (37 patients) or endovascularly (18 patients) between April 2004 and March 2014. We analyzed the costs of all hospital stays, interventions, and imaging with a median follow-up of 46 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the costs of hospital stay between surgical and endovascular treatment groups ($10,565 vs. $14,992; P = .37). Imaging costs were significantly higher in the surgical group than in the endovascular treatment group ($2890 vs. $1612; P < .01), as were the costs of the intervention room and personnel involved in the intervention ($5566 vs. $1520; P < .01). Implants used per patient were more expensive in the endovascular group than in the surgical treatment group ($20,885 vs. $167). The total direct treatment costs were higher in the endovascular group ($52,325) than in the surgical treatment group ($20,619; P < .01). Treatment costs were associated with the type of treatment and GIA location but not with patient age, sex, or GIA size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endovascular GIA treatment produced higher direct costs than surgical GIA treatment mainly due to higher implant costs. Reducing endovascular implant costs may be the most effective tool to decrease direct costs of GIA treatment.
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Neurosurgery, University of Rome "Sapienza," Rome, Italy; §Department of Neurosurgery, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany; ¶Department of Neurosurgery, Spine Surgery, and Interventional Neuroradiology, Donauisar Klinikum, Deggendorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Familiari
authors.forename: Nicolai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maldaner
authors.forename: Adisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kursumovic
authors.forename: Stefan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vajkoczy
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raco
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dengler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult