The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Costs for collagenase injections compared with fasciectomy in the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture: a retrospective cohort study

Author

  • Isam Atroshi
  • Emelie Strandberg
  • Anna Lauritzson
  • Eva Ahlgren
  • Markus Walden

Summary, in English

Objectives: To compare collagenase injections and surgery (fasciectomy) for Dupuytren's contracture (DC) regarding actual total direct treatment costs and short-term outcomes. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Orthopaedic department of a regional hospital in Sweden. Participants: Patients aged 65 years or older with previously untreated DC of 30 degrees or greater in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and/or proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of the small, ring or middle finger. The collagenase group comprised 16 consecutive patients treated during the first 6 months following the introduction of collagenase as treatment for DC at the study centre. The controls were 16 patients randomly selected among those operated on with fasciectomy at the same centre during the preceding 3 years. Interventions: Treatment with collagenase was given during two standard outpatient clinic visits (injection of 0.9 mg, distributed at multiple sites in a palpable cord, and next-day finger extension under local anaesthesia) followed by night-time splinting. Fasciectomy was carried out in the operating room (day surgery) under general or regional anaesthesia using standard technique, followed by therapy and splinting. Primary and secondary outcome measures: Actual total direct costs (salaries of all medical personnel involved in care, medications, materials and other relevant costs), and total MCP and PIP extension deficit (degrees) measured by hand therapists at 612 weeks after the treatment. Results: Collagenase injection required fewer hospital outpatient visits to a therapist and nurse than fasciectomy. Total treatment cost for collagenase injection was US$1418.04 and for fasciectomy US $2102.56. The post-treatment median (IQR) total extension deficit was 10 (0-30) for the collagenase group and 10 (0-34) for the fasciectomy group. Conclusions: Treatment of DC with one collagenase injection costs 33% less than fasciectomy with equivalent efficacy at 6 weeks regarding reduction in contracture.

Publishing year

2014

Language

English

Pages

004166-004166

Publication/Series

BMJ Open

Volume

4

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

BMJ Publishing Group

Topic

  • Orthopedics

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2044-6055