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  • Title: Ignoring the sacroiliac joint in chronic low back pain is costly.
    Author: Polly DW, Cher D.
    Journal: Clinicoecon Outcomes Res; 2016; 8():23-31. PubMed ID: 26855595.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence supports minimally invasive sacroiliac joint (SIJ) fusion as a safe and effective treatment for SIJ dysfunction. Failure to include the SIJ in the diagnostic evaluation of low back pain could result in unnecessary health care expenses. DESIGN: Decision analytic cost model. METHODS: A decision analytic model calculating 2-year direct health care costs in patients with chronic low back pain considering lumbar fusion surgery was used. RESULTS: The strategy of including the SIJ in the preoperative diagnostic workup of chronic low back pain saves an expected US$3,100 per patient over 2 years. Cost savings were robust to reasonable ranges for costs and probabilities, such as the probability of diagnosis and the probability of successful surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Including the SIJ as part of the diagnostic strategy in preoperative patients with chronic low back pain is likely to be cost saving in the short term.
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