COST COMPARISON OF FIBROID TREATMENT

Embolisation is a much less expensive procedure than surgery.  It requires no general anaesthetic and only a one night stay in hospital.  Hysterectomy or myomectomy requires a full anaesthetic and 6 to 14 days in hospital.

From April '03 your GP, through the Primary Care Trust, will be purchasing patient care from hospitals. 

Although decisions about which treatment is appropriate for you will be mainly based on clinical considerations, the cost advantage for embolisation means that more women can be treated for less cost.

^(a)

 There are no direct cost comparison figures available from NHS hospitals at this time. 
The national average procedural costs produced by the Department of Health  - HRG (Health Resource Groups) - 2002

Hysterectomy/myomectomy £ £2,144 - £3,389 and an average length of stay of 5-10 days

[HRG code M07/08 Upper Genital Tract Major  & Major Complex Procedures]

Non-surgical treatment of fibroids £742 and an average length of stay of two days.

N.B. embolisation has just one night stay

[HRG code M14 Non-surgical Treatment Fibroids, Menstrual Disorders or Endometriosis]

[Data Source: Reference Costs 2002 publication, NHS Trust data].

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^(b)  

UK private sector costs (without doctors' fees) are approximately £3,700 for embolisation for a one night stay and over £5,000 for hysterectomy for a six night stay.

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^(c)

A number of cost comparisons have been carried out in the USA.

Embolisation                                     - $3,000 ^[37]

Abdominal hysterectomy                      - $9,000

Myomectomy                                     - $5,500 ^[2],[38]

However, these costs only take into account the initial procedural costs.  There are further savings from embolisation, as there are fewer additional costs and no long-term costs from HRT etc.

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Last updated: 12 Apr 2004