Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Robotic-assisted technologies have been developed to increase surgical precision and reduce surgical variability in Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this study is to compare the budget impact of the imageless VELYS ^TM Robotic-Assisted Solution (VRAS) compared to manual TKA (mTKA) in patients undergoing primary TKA from both the hospital and the healthcare payer perspective, in Italy.
METHODS: We developed a budget impact (BI) model to estimate costs of primary TKA over 7 years (corresponding to the robot lifespan). The model is inclusive of all relevant potential primary TKA resources, such as surgery costs (including robot capital purchase, disposables, maintenance service fees, and operating theater), tray sterilization, length of stay, readmissions, follow-up visits, physiotherapy sessions and revisions. Data on clinical parameters and costs were collected from literature and National DRG reimbursement tariffs. We assumed a cohort of 250 patients per hospital would enter the model each year.
RESULTS: Over a period of 7 years, the budget impact associated with the use of VRAS resulted in overall savings of €1,366,238 from the hospital's perspective, translating to €781 per TKA. These savings were primarily attributed to a reduction in tray sterilization costs of €714 and decreased length of stay costs of €938. Additionally, from the payer's perspective, the adoption of VRAS led to an overall saving of €410,402, equating to €235 per TKA. In this case the savings were due to the reduced need for revision surgeries and readmissions which amounted to €146 per TKA and fewer physiotherapy sessions and follow-up visits reducing costs by €89 per TKA.
CONCLUSIONS: Compared to mTKA, VRAS was associated with resource optimization and cost savings from both the hospital and the healthcare payer perspective, in Italy.