A COMPARISON OF DIRECT MEDICAL COSTS IN VERTEBROPLASTY AND KYPHOPLASTY IN JAPAN AND IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPACTS ON THE BUDGET
Author(s)
Tomoyasu Muto, BS, MSci, PhD.
HEOR researcher, CPU - Clients Perspectives United Corp., Tokyo, Japan.
HEOR researcher, CPU - Clients Perspectives United Corp., Tokyo, Japan.
OBJECTIVES: Up to 100,000 patients with vertebral compression fractures are non-responding to conservative treatment, suffering from prolonged pain and bedridden status in Japan. An increasing number of kyphoplasty under general anesthesia are conducted, with 18,538 cases in 2023, leaving most of the indexed population without further intervention. In September 2025, products intended for vertebroplasty under local anesthesia were fully listed for national reimbursement. This study compared the direct medical costs of vertebroplasty with kyphoplasty and estimated the impacts on the overall budget.
METHODS: Inpatient medical costs were accounted for in a kyphoplasty and a vertebroplasty case using the latest tariff of technical fees for all standard treatments and care with a commercial mixture of prescribed drugs obtained from the 10th NDB Open data. CAGR 14.5%, the same trend as that for kyphoplasty was assumed for vertebroplasty to estimate the peak annual number of cases. Reduction in costs was calculated per case, comparing kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty, and the cumulative annual costs were estimated.
RESULTS: Direct medical costs were reduced by 2,534 USD per case (7,149 USD in kyphoplasty vs. 4,614 USD in vertebroplasty). The reduction was primarily due to the change in anestitization, hospitalization and medication fees of 1,405 USD (1,760 USD in kyphoplasty and 355 USD in vertebroplasty), followed by the product kits reimbursement difference of 1,200 USD (3,773 USD in kyphoplasty and 2,573 USD in vertebroplasty). 1,152 cases underwent vertebroplasty to increase 2.15 million USD, whereas 647 cases assumed conversion from kyphoplasty to vertebroplasty resulting in 1.64 million saving in the medical expenditure. In total, a less burdensome treatment option was offered to 1,799 cases with 0.51 million USD of increase in the spending.
CONCLUSIONS: Vertebroplasty can provide less financially burdensome option to the patient and offer treatment opportunities to significant number of patients with reasonable increase in the spending.
METHODS: Inpatient medical costs were accounted for in a kyphoplasty and a vertebroplasty case using the latest tariff of technical fees for all standard treatments and care with a commercial mixture of prescribed drugs obtained from the 10th NDB Open data. CAGR 14.5%, the same trend as that for kyphoplasty was assumed for vertebroplasty to estimate the peak annual number of cases. Reduction in costs was calculated per case, comparing kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty, and the cumulative annual costs were estimated.
RESULTS: Direct medical costs were reduced by 2,534 USD per case (7,149 USD in kyphoplasty vs. 4,614 USD in vertebroplasty). The reduction was primarily due to the change in anestitization, hospitalization and medication fees of 1,405 USD (1,760 USD in kyphoplasty and 355 USD in vertebroplasty), followed by the product kits reimbursement difference of 1,200 USD (3,773 USD in kyphoplasty and 2,573 USD in vertebroplasty). 1,152 cases underwent vertebroplasty to increase 2.15 million USD, whereas 647 cases assumed conversion from kyphoplasty to vertebroplasty resulting in 1.64 million saving in the medical expenditure. In total, a less burdensome treatment option was offered to 1,799 cases with 0.51 million USD of increase in the spending.
CONCLUSIONS: Vertebroplasty can provide less financially burdensome option to the patient and offer treatment opportunities to significant number of patients with reasonable increase in the spending.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
EE133
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Budget Impact Analysis
Disease
SDC: Musculoskeletal Disorders (Arthritis, Bone Disorders, Osteoporosis, Other Musculoskeletal)