Cost-effectiveness of ropivacaine continuous wound infiltration versus morphine for acute pain control

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess cost-effectiveness of continuous wound infiltration (CWI) with ropivacaine versus intravenous morphine, under the perspective of the Brazilian Supplementary Health System, in a time horizon of 48 hours after major surgeries. METHODS: Cost-effectiveness analysis through an analytic decision model, applying clinical data of success rate of analgesia and reduction of side effects, such as opioid related postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), obtained through literature review. The model accomplishes direct medical costs and costs related to hospital stay (income per hospital bed). RESULTS: Clinical efficacy of CWI has shown superior results in all scenarios presented, when compared to intravenous morphine, with lower incidence of PONV, higher success rates in analgesia and less need of rescue with opioids. CWI has also shown less expensive than the selected comparator administered either in bolus or drug infusion devices. This result is specially derived from the reduction on the hospital length of stay. CONCLUSION: CWI is an extremely effective alternative for acute pain control, in the clinical point of view. It can also generate cost-savings in the short term, as acute pain and PONV incidence, besides increasing consumption of opioids and antiemetic drugs, can jeopardize patient recovery and prolong unnecessarily his hospital stay.