OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to estimate the potential budget impact of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) vs conventional wound treatment (CWT) in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), surgical and traumatic wounds across select Latin American countries:

METHODS: The model calculated the potential budget impact based on cost and mean surgical length of therapy (LoT) and mean length of stay (LoS) from the perspective of private health care in Brazil and Colombia and public health care in Chile. The model considered LoT (NPWT vs CWT) in the respective indications: 14.82 d vs 44.57 d (DFU), 17.45 d vs 32.76 (trauma) and 22.8 d vs 30.6 d (surgical) also LoS (NPWT vs CWT): 15.86 d vs 29 d (DFU), 13.55 d vs 20.67 d (trauma) and 13.9 d vs 11.8 d (surgical). Local material costs were applied. A sensitivity analysis was performed to characterize uncertainty of LoT and LoS. All calculations were performed in local currency and converted to US dollars.

RESULTS: Total cost reduction for 100 patients with DFUs using NPWT was $184,783 (38.1%), $128,179 (28.0%) and $146,766 (30.1%) for Chile, Colombia, and Brazil, respectively. Total cost reduction for traumatic wounds using NPWT was $71,319 (20.6%), $12,962 (4.0%), and $26,061 (7.5%) for Chile, Colombia, and Brazil, respectively. However, corresponding total cost reduction for surgical wounds using NPWT was -$71,514 (-35.1%) for Chile, -$112,517 (-58.5%) for Colombia, and -$109,847 (-53.7%) for Brazil.

CONCLUSIONS: The use in DFU and trauma is likely to be cost saving for hospital budgets for all three countries included in this analysis. For patients undergoing surgery, additional investment is likely to be required and should be balanced to the benefits obtained. A Cost-Effectiveness analysis is recommended to position the incremental cost in the perspective of the willingness to pay for the improved health outcome.