A cost/benefit analysis of randomized invasive monitoring for patients undergoing cardiac surgery |
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Authors: | K S Pearson M N Gomez J R Moyers J G Carter J H Tinker |
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Institution: | Department of Anesthesia, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242. |
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Abstract: | The aim of this study was to determine the effect of choice of invasive monitoring on cost, morbidity, and mortality in cardiac surgery. Two hundred and twenty-six adults undergoing elective cardiac surgery were initially assigned at random to receive either a central venous pressure monitoring catheter (group I), a conventional pulmonary artery (PA) catheter (group II), or a mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) measuring PA catheter (group III). If the attending anesthesiologist believed that the patient initially randomized to group I should have a PA catheter, that patient was then reassigned to receive either a conventional PA catheter (group IV) or SvO2 measuring PA catheter (group V). The total costs were defined as the total amount billed to the patient for the catheter used; the professional cost of its insertion; and the determinations of cardiac output, arterial blood gas tensions, hemoglobin level, and hematocrit. Mean total monitoring and laboratory costs in Group I ($591 +/- 67) were statistically significantly (P less than 0.05) less than costs in Group II ($856 +/- 231). Further, mean monitoring and laboratory costs in Group II were statistically significantly (P less than 0.05) less than those in Group III ($1128 +/- 759). Patients in group IV incurred mean total costs of $986 +/- 578, while those in group V had mean total costs of $1126 +/- 382 (NS). There were no significant differences between any of the groups with respect to length of stay in the intensive care unit, morbidity, or mortality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) |
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