Costs analysis and comparison of usefulness of acute MRI and 2 weeks of cast immobilization for clinically suspected scaphoid fractures
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3109/17453674.2014.986627Abstract
Background and purpose — Fractures of the scaphoid are often not detected on initial plain radiographs. Conventional management of clinically suspected scaphoid fractures is cast immobilization for 2 weeks and then reassessment. Early MRI is a diagnostic alternative. We compared the cost and usefulness of the early MRI diagnostic strategy with that of conventional management. Patients and methods — This prospective pseudo-randomized study included patients between 18 and 49 years of age who attended Bergen Accident and Emergency Department, Bergen, Norway during 1 year in 2009–2010, after sustaining an acute wrist trauma in the previous week and with a clinically suspected scaphoid fracture. 61 patients were investigated with acute MRI, while 63 patients received standard treatment as a control group. We used cost-minimization analysis to estimate the cost of the 2 patient groups. Results — Concerning cost, there were no statistically significant differences in the total direct medical costs or in indirect costs between the groups. Concerning usefulness, patients in the MRI group without a fracture (n = 35) used a cast for fewer days (mean 1 day) than patients in the control group with no fractures (n = 52) (mean 14 days; p Interpretation — In a Norwegian setting, an early MRI was of value in patients with clinically suspected scaphoid fracture and normal plain radiographs.Downloads
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Published
2015-05-04
How to Cite
Bergh, T. H., Steen, K., Lindau, T., Soldal, L. A., Bernardshaw, S. V., Lunde, L., … Brudvik, C. (2015). Costs analysis and comparison of usefulness of acute MRI and 2 weeks of cast immobilization for clinically suspected scaphoid fractures. Acta Orthopaedica, 86(3), 303–309. https://doi.org/10.3109/17453674.2014.986627
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Acta Orthopaedica (Scandinavica) content is available freely online as from volume 1, 1930. The journal owner owns the copyright for all material published until volume 80, 2009. As of June 2009, the journal has however been published fully Open Access, meaning the authors retain copyright to their work. As of June 2009, articles have been published under CC-BY-NC or CC-BY licenses, unless otherwise specified.