Cost comparison of scleral buckle versus vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair.

PURPOSE

To estimate and compare the costs of scleral buckle (SB) and pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

DESIGN

Cost analysis based on published prospective data comparing SB and PPV for RRD repair.

METHODS

The costs of initial surgery, postoperative retina-affecting procedures, and eventual cataract extraction resulting from SB and PPV for RRD repair were estimated for both phakic and pseudophakic or aphakic patients and then were compared. A univariate sensitivity analysis also was performed to examine the sensitivity of our estimations.

RESULTS

When considering all costs, SB was 10.7% less expensive than PPV for RRD repair in phakic patients, whereas PPV was 12% less expensive than SB for RRD repair in pseudophakic or aphakic patients. These conclusions were robust in the sensitivity analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

SB seems to offer a modest cost savings over PPV for repair of RRD in phakic patients. However, in pseudophakic and aphakic patients, PPV seems to be less expensive than SB.