Abstract
Introduction
Total knee arthroplasty is a highly effective procedure to improve the quality of life in patients with advanced osteoarthritis. The number of these procedures are expected to grow 174% by 2030. This growth rate is expected to economically strain the health care system. A potential solution to alleviate this problem is the utilization of single use instruments (SUI). Potential advantages of SUI include: improved operating room efficiencies, decreased costs associated with traditional instrument management (sterile processing, shipping), and decreased infection risk. The present study examines the clinical results of SUI compared to standard instrumentation. Furthermore, economic modeling is performed to examine the cost savings that is potentially realized with their use.
Materials and Methods
51 patients receiving a TKA with use of SUI were prospectively compared to 49 patients utilizing standard instrumentation. Knee Society Scores and Radiographic alignment will be evaluated. Adverse events will be recorded.
Economic modeling of SUI will be performed in 4 different areas: 1. Decreased infection burden; 2. Operating room logistics; 3. Sterile processing savings; and 4. Instrument logistical savings.
Results
The average Pre-operative KSS (Objective/Functional) scores were 48.7/41.6 for the SIU patients compared to 50.2/38.7 for the standard instrumentation patients. Post-operative improvements measured 84.0/72.8 and 83.9/76.4 for the 2 groups respectively. The Pre-operative Hip-Knee-Ankle Angle was 176.2 and 177.0 for the 2 groups. The SUI HKA improved to 179.3 while the standard improved to 178.9. There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups. Furthermore, there were no cases of subsidence, migration, loosening, or infection in either group. There were no SUI procedure abandonments.
Economic analysis revealed a decreased risk of Infection burden of $28.08/case. Operating room efficiencies include reduced set-up/take-down time and case efficiency savings/case. This averages $348.14/case. Instrument sterilization savings occur by bypassing the central sterile-processing department completely and models to $700/case. Finally, instrument logistics savings include time and money spent organizing/turning over/shipping instrument sets for cases. This estimate is $112.88/case for a total economic value of $1, 189.10/case.
Discussion
In summary, the present study confirms that SUI provides similar clinical and radiographic results to standard instrumentation for TKA. Furthermore, SUI offers significant cost savings/case via potential benefits of reduced risk of infection, increased operating room productivity, and significant tray sterilization and loaner instrumentation cost savings.
