Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Ischemic strokes affect over 7.6 million people worldwide and create significant economic costs. Cryptogenic strokes make up 25%-40% of these cases and are often associated with a higher prevalence of patent foramen ovale (PFO). Treatments include medical therapy only or implantable closure devices plus medical therapy. This study assesses hospital costs for three approaches: closure with Occluder Device A, closure with Occluder Device B, and Medical Therapy Alone in preventing recurrent strokes in patients eligible for PFO closure.
METHODS: A budget impact analysis was conducted to evaluate the financial implications for a hypothetical hospital in the United States managing 25 PFO-associated stroke patients annually. The analysis compared two scenarios over a five-year period: the current treatment distribution (63.3% Medical Therapy Alone, 20.2% Occluder Device B, and 16.5% Occluder Device A) versus treating all eligible patients exclusively with the Occluder Device A. Data was sourced from the GORE® REDUCE and ABBOTT® RESPECT studies.
RESULTS: Increased closure with the Occluder Device A in the simulated economic model significantly decreased hospital budget, with a US hospital treating 25 PFO stroke patients annually potentially avoiding over $1.5 million in healthcare costs over five years. Treating all eligible patients with closure with the Occluder Device A resulted in four fewer recurrent strokes in that period compared to the current treatment distribution scenario.
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that closure with Occluder Device A for PFO-associated stroke patients is associated with improved hospital financial outcomes and lower rates of recurrent stroke, which may reduce healthcare expenditures.