The use of extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal to avoid intubation in patients failing non-invasive ventilation – a cost analysis

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the economic implications of the pre-emptive use of extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO(2)R) to avoid invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in patients with hypercapnic ventilatory insufficiency failing non-invasive ventilation (NIV). METHODS: Retrospective ancillary cost analysis of data extracted from a recently published multicentre case–control-study (n = 42) on the use of arterio-venous ECCO(2)R to avoid IMV in patients with acute on chronic ventilatory failure. Cost calculations were based on average daily treatment costs for intensive care unit (ICU) and normal medical wards as well as on the specific costs of the ECCO(2)R system. RESULTS: In the group treated with ECCO(2)R IMV was avoided in 90 % of cases and mean hospital length of stay (LOS) was shorter than in the matched control group treated with IMV (23.0 vs. 42.0 days). The overall average hospital treatment costs did not differ between the two groups (41.134 vs. 39.366 €, p = 0.8). A subgroup analysis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) revealed significantly lower median ICU length of stay (11.0 vs. 35.0 days), hospital length of stay (17.5 vs. 51.5 days) and treatment costs for the ECCO(2)R group (19.610 vs. 46.552 €, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Additional costs for the use of arterio-venous ECCO(2)R to avoid IMV in patients with acute-on-chronic ventilatory insufficiency failing NIV may be offset by a cost reducing effect of a shorter length of ICU and hospital stay.