Descriptive analysis of the economic costs of periprosthetic joint infection of the knee for the public health system of Andalusia.

Abstract

This study offers a descriptive analysis of the economic costs of Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of the knee for the public health system of Andalusia (Spain) The data are based on consecutive patients with PJI treated in our Bone and Joint Infection Unit between January 2005 and January 2010. The total cost for all patients with knee PJI was 4,151,843 $ (3,202,841 €), i.e., a mean cost per patient of 52,555 $ (40,542 €). The mean cost per patient was 24,980 $ (19,270.80 €) for patients with early PJI and rose to 78,111 $ (60,257 €) for those with late PJI. The main cost was for the hospital stay and the specific in-hospital care received, followed by the cost of the surgical procedure.