Presentations How Cost Effective Are Spine Interventions? | Page 8

A Cost-Utility Analysis of Lumbar Decompression With and Without
Fusion for Degenerative Spine Disease in the Elderly Neurosurgery,
Volume 77, Issue suppl_1, 1 October 2015, Pages S116–S124,
´ RESULTS: Mean cumulative 2-year QALYs gained were statistically similar
between younger and older patients for both decompression alone (0.67 ±
0.65 vs 0.56 ± 0.65; P= .47) and decompression with fusion (0.56 ± 0.55 vs 0.59
± 0.55; P= .26). Mean 2-year cost per QALY gained between younger and
older patients was similar for both decompression alone ($24 365 vs $31 750
per QALY; P= .11) and decompression with fusion ($64 228 vs $60 183 per
QALY; P= .09).
´ CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment provided significant improvements in
pain, disability, and quality of life for elderly patients with degenerative
lumbar disease. Observed costs per QALY gained for lumbar
decompression with and without fusion were similar for younger and older
patients, demonstrating that lumbar spine surgery in the elderly is an
equally cost-effective and valuable intervention.