Zentralblatt für Chirurgie
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Review Comparative Study
[Can Topical Negative Pressure Therapy be Performed as a Cost-Effective General Surgery Procedure in the German DRG System?].
Topical negative pressure therapy (TNPT) has been established for surgical wound therapy with different indications. Nevertheless, there is only sparse evidence regarding its therapeutic superiority or cost-effectiveness in the German DRG system (G-DRG). This study was designed to analyse the cost-effectiveness of TNPT in the G-DRG system with a focus on daily treatment costs and reimbursement in a general surgery care setting. ⋯ TNPT applied in a representative general surgery setting allows for wound therapy without a major financial burden. Based on the costs for wound dressings and TNPT rent, a primarily medically based decision when to use TNPT can be performed in a balanced product cost accounting. This study does not analyse the superiority of TNPT in wound care, so further prospective studies are required which focus on therapeutic superiority and cost-effectiveness.