Traditional Modified Brostrom vs Suture Tape Ligament Augmentation for Chronic Lateral Ankle Instability: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

CATEGORY: Sports; Ankle; Other INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Surgical treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) with the Modified Brostrom-Gould (MB) procedure and suture tape ligament augmentation (+ST) has proven to be biomechanically and clinically successful. A concern regarding the MB + ST procedure is increased surgical costs and additional operating room time. To date, there are no available studies in the literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness of suture tape ligament augmentation of the Modified Brostrom-Gould procedure. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate and report the cost-effectiveness of the Modified Brostrom-Gould procedure, with and without suture tape ligament augmentation. METHODS: This study followed the consensus-based recommendations made by the Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. The base case was assumed to be a healthy individual with symptomatic CLAI following recurrent ankle sprains requiring surgical intervention. The standard MB technique utilized two 2.4 mm BioComposite SutureTak anchors for direct anatomic repair of the disrupted anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments. This treatment was then compared to the Modified Brostrom-Gould procedure with the addition of suture tape ligament augmentation (MB + ST). A Markov Model was designed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the MB + ST procedure. Model input variables and parameters were derived from a prospective randomized clinical study which described the rate of return to previous activity level at 26 weeks postoperatively for the MB and MB + ST groups. Direct and indirect surgical costs were incorporated into the model to provide an accurate financial assessment of both procedures. RESULTS: When only direct surgical costs were considered, the total cost of MB was $2,318.88 and the total effectiveness was 0.91 quality-adjusted-life-years (QALY) over the 26-week period. The total cost for MB + ST was $4,004.93 and the total effectiveness was 0.98 QALY's. Patients in the MB + ST group spent, on average, $1,686 more than those in the MB group, with a higher quality of life by 0.07 QALYs. To evaluate the impact of indirect surgical costs, a sensitivity analysis was performed which measured the additional costs associated with physical therapy and time off work. Patients in the MB group incurred an increased physical therapy cost of $4,212 assuming 4.2 extra weeks of treatment. Assuming those in the MB group returned to full duty work 4.2 weeks later than those in the MB + ST group, this resulted in a net loss of approximately $5,413.80 in wages. CONCLUSION: In the early postoperative period following lateral ligament reconstruction for CLAI, MB + ST technique yields a higher quality of life and lower overall expense despite a higher direct surgical cost when compared to MB alone. The cost effectiveness of the MB + ST technique was further supported through a sensitivity analysis which revealed that as indirect surgical costs were incorporated into the model, MB + ST became an even more cost effective option. This cost-effectiveness analysis adds to the growing literature in support of suture tape augmentation for the Modified Brostrom-Gould procedure.