This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS
Cost–effectiveness analysis of local, regional and general anaesthesia for inguinal hernia repair using data from a randomized clinical trial. BJS 2007; 94: 500-505.
Published: 28th February 2007
Authors: P. Nordin, H. Zetterström, P. Carlsson, E. Nilsson
Background
Inguinal hernia repair is a common operation in general surgery and can be performed under local, regional or general anaesthesia. This multicentre randomized trial was undertaken to compare the costs of the three anaesthetic methods in general surgical practice.
Method
Between January 1999 and December 2001, 616 patients at ten hospitals who underwent primary inguinal hernia repair were randomized to local, regional or general anaesthesia. The primary endpoints were direct costs. Secondary endpoints were indirect costs and recurrence rates.
Results
Total intraoperative, as well as total early postoperative, data showed local anaesthesia to have significant cost advantages over regional and general anaesthesia (P < 0·001). The advantage was also significant for total hospital and total healthcare costs (P < 0·001), whereas there was no significant difference between regional and general anaesthesia.
Conclusion
The use of local anaesthesia for inguinal hernia repair was significantly less expensive than regional or general anaesthesia. Copyright © 2007 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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