The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons announced that almost one-third of costs associated with osteoarthritis incurred in the year before total knee replacements are incurred on non-recommended operations.
Here's what you need to know:
1. It is believed costs may decrease by 30 percent if non-recommended treatments for patients with arthritis are no longer utilized. The total cost for outpatient knee osteoarthritis treatment was $43.58 million.
2. The following strategies have been used to treat osteoarthritis patients without AAOS recommendation:
- Hyaluronic acid corticosteroid injections
- Braces and wedge insoles
- Various pain medications
3. The AAOS recommends the following treatments for arthritis patients before undergoing total knee replacement:
- Physical therapy
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Tramadol
4. The study found 65.8 percent of the patients underwent at least one of the treatments listed above in the year prior to their total knee replacement.
5. The AAOS' recommended treatments represent 11 percent of the total costs. Interventions that received strong or moderate recommendations against their use made up 29 percent of the costs.
Meanwhile, the top three most costly TKR treatments account for 52.6 percent of expenses. They are:
- Hyaluronic acid
- Corticosteroid injections
- Physical therapy
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