Cost-effectiveness analysis of nimodipine treatment after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the cost-effectiveness ratio of nimodipine administration after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and surgery. METHODS: One hundred twenty-seven patients of both sexes who had a ruptured aneurysm (verified using angiography), who presented with Hunt and Hess Grades I to III on admission, who underwent an operation within the first week after SAH, and who had participated in a randomized prospective clinical trial of nimodipine medication were enrolled in the study. The efficiency (cost-effectiveness) of nimodipine treatment was evaluated by incremental cost-effectiveness analysis. The cost-effectiveness ratio was evaluated for two groups: patients treated with nimodipine and patients given placebo. The cost was estimated as direct hospitalization costs, and the patient outcome was measured as life years gained. RESULTS: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for nimodipine treatment was $223 per life year gained on the basis of 1996 monetary values and contemporary management of SAH. Patients in the nimodipine group had an average of 3.46 years longer life expectancy (incremental effectiveness) than those in the placebo group. There was a significant difference in 3-month follow-up mortality and a slight difference in sickness pensions during the 10 years after SAH. Nimodipine treatment was associated with a significant decrease in mortality. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups in the length of hospital stay. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment groups in sickness pensions. CONCLUSION: Nimodipine is cost-effective. Therefore, its use in the management of patients with SAH seems economically justified because it increases patient life years at very low incremental cost.

Surgery of vertebrobasilar aneurysms and nimodipine.

Five patients among 60 consecutive patients suffering from recent subarachnoid hemorrhage were operated for ruptured vertebrobasilar aneurysm. Topical nimodipine treatment was given during the operation after clipping and continued systemically for three weeks. One out of the five patients developed symptoms which could be ascribed to delayed arterial vasospasm. Nimodipine may be advantageous in preventing ischemic complications when used prophylactically. Further investigation is needed to elucidate its efficacy in cases of vertebrobasilar aneurysms and conventional timing of surgery.

Management of patients with pain.

Out of an early study of 74 patients treated for pain at our facilities, 14 were selected for dorsal column stimulation (DCS). Compared to a control group on medications, the DCS patients benefited in terms of reduced amounts of pain relievers needed. One patient showed transient loss of somatosensory evoked potentials in association with the use of a high frequency stimulator at the cervical level, as possible evidence of the potential dangers to neural tissue related to the use of bioelectrical devices. However, despite the development of pain centers, new neurosurgical methods including bioelectrical equipment should be devised for treatment of pain patients who are referred from these multidisciplinary centers for neurosurgical treatment.