OBJECTIVE: To compare the cost of coronary bypass surgery (CBS) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for a one year follow-up. METHOD: Eight-six patients were submitted to 87 CBS and 240 patients to 267 PTCA, between October 2003 and April 2004. The mean age of the two groups was 62 years. The CBS group was submitted to a mean of 3.7 bypass/ patient, using 96.5% of arterial conduits. In the PTCA group, a mean of 1.1 angioplasties/procedure were performed. Twenty-one (24.4%) patients had an angioplasty performed before the CBS. Each group was subdivided in, group A and B, in respect to the manner of payment. RESULTS: The mean cost for CBS was R$ 7.759,78, per procedure; in the PTCA group the cost/angioplasty was R$ 6.307,79. At the end of a year, the end values were R$ 7.875,73 for the CBS and R$ 8.234,96 for the PTCA group. In group B the CBS patients had a mean hospital cost of R$ 11.061,63 and R$ 11.087,29 at the end of a year; in the PTCA group the hospital costs were R$ 11.110,83, and at the end of a year R$ 13.414,59. CONCLUSIONS: The author concludes that: 1) only 26.4% of the 326 patients were submitted to CBS; 2) PTCA group presented 26.7% re-interventions/patient and CBS group only 3.5%; 3) CBS costs were 17.4% less than those of the PTCA after one year, in group B.
Myocardial revascularization; Costs and cost analysis; Coronary artery bypass; Angioplasty, transluminal, percutaneous coronary
