[Comparison of cost-effectiveness in knee arthroscopy performed under local, general intravenous and spinal anesthesia].

The study was performed to compare cost-effectiveness between local, regional (epidural) and general i.v. anesthesia in outpatient knee arthroscopy. The 520 outpatient diagnostic arthroscopy were performed in witch 443 underwent operative part. The cost of ambulatory surgery unit was 900 PLN/hour, postanesthesia care unit and care unit 315 PLN/hour each. The cost of local anesthesia 39 PLN, regional one 44 PLN and general one 58 PLN. The total cost of arthroscopy performed in local anesthesia, general and regional ones were respectively 1264, 1296 and 1567 PLN. Local anesthesia in 520 arthroscopies produces savings of 16667 and 157877 PLN comparing to general anesthesia and regional one. The biggest part of the costs in all types of anesthesia was ambulatory surgery unit cost and postanesthesia care unit cost which appears only in epidural anesthesia.