The health economics of the treatment of long-bone non-unions

A review of the existing evidence on economic costs of treatment of longbone fracture non-unions has retrieved 9 papers. Mostly the tibial shaft non-unions have been utilised as models for these economic analyses. Novel treatment strategies like BMP-7 grafting, Ilizarov ring external fixation or supplementary use of therapeutic ultrasound devices have been compared with standard methods of treatment focusing on direct and indirect costs and expenses. A cost-identification query was conducted and revealed costs of 15,566 pound, 17,200 pound and 116,330 for humeral, femoral, and tibia[ non-unions respectively on a "best-case scenario". The existing scientific evidence can only imply the extent of the economic burden of tong-bone non-unions. Further systematic studies are needed to assess the direct medical, direct non-medical, indirect, and monetised quality of life and psychosocial costs of non-unions. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.