• V Alt, A Eicher, A Bitschnau, and R Schnettler.
• Klinik und Poliklinik für Unfallchirurgie Giessen, Universitätsklinikum Giessen-Marburg, Rudolf-Buchheim-Strasse 7, 35385 Giessen. Volker.Alt@chiru.med.uni-giessen.de
• Unfallchirurg. 2006 Jun 1;109(6):463-70.

Background And PurposeThe purpose of the current study was to evaluate savings from the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in open tibia fractures by faster fracture healing and reduction of secondary treatment costs from a health insurance perspective for Germany and to compare them to the upfront price of 2900 EUR of rhBMP-2.MethodsRaw data from a previously published study (BESTT study) were used to conduct an economic calculation for secondary treatment costs for each patient from the standard care group and the 1.5 mg/ml rhBMP-2 group based on G-DRG 2005 prices from a health insurer's perspective for an observation period of 1 year for Germany.ResultsThe use of rhBMP-2 leads to savings of 5697 EUR and 3183 EUR per patient for Gustilo-Anderson grade IIIB and all grade IIIA and B injuries, respectively. These savings offset the upfront price of 2900 EUR of rhBMP-2 and, therefore, net savings of 2797 EUR and 283 EUR for grade IIIB and all grade IIIA and B injuries can be achieved, respectively. These savings are mainly due to reduced sickness payments because of faster fracture healing in the rhBMP-2 group.ConclusionsThe current study shows that the use of rhBMP-2 in Gustilo-Anderson grade IIIA and B open fractures leads--besides the better medical outcome for patients as shown previously in the BESTT study--to net savings from a health insurer's perspective.

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