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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: Am Heart J. 2015 Feb 21;169(5):727–735.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2015.02.010

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Effect of cost of follow-up visits on total cost. Graphs depict total cost of closure of ASD (2012 US$) over a range of possible costs for follow-up visits. In both analyses, total cost of transcatheter closure (solid line) and operative closure (dashed line) are depicted. The cost of follow-up visit at which there is cost equivalence is depicted (red dotted line). Panel A depicts the most conservative model in which the operative cohort does not receive follow-up and transcatheter cohort receives follow-up for 5 years as per FDA recommendations. Cost equality is reached at a cost of 2012 US $1,559 per visit. Panel B depicts a model in which operative cohort receives 1-week, 1-year, and 5-year follow-up visits. Cost equality is reached at a cost of 2012 US $2,494 per visit.