Table 21:

Probabilities and Costs of Common Severe Complications Related to SCS (Including 10-kHz High-Frequency SCS)

Resource Item	Probability	Total Cost, $a	Data Source
Biological Complications
Pocket pain with infectionb	0.06b	—	Van Buyten et al, 201362
Deep infection with hospitalizationb	0.048b	—	Van Buyten et al, 201362
Initial consult	—	58.25	Schedule of Benefits (CO46)73
Inpatient, hospitalization (3-day hospital stay)	—	4,635.71	Kumar and Bishop, 200965
Operation, explanation	—	306.00	Schedule of Benefits (N531)73
Additional consult	—	58.25	Schedule of Benefits (CO43)73
Intravenous antibiotic therapy	—	1,069.35	Kumar and Bishop, 200965
Home care nurse	—	3,136.12	Kumar and Bishop, 200965
Total cost (deep infection)b	—	9,263.68c	—
Hardware-Related Complications
Lead fracture or lead migration requiring explanation	0.072d	6,901.17	Van Buyten et al, 201362; Deer et al, 201416 Reoperation, lead replacement (Kumar and Bishop, 200965)
Device malfunction and removal	0.02	7,285.36	Van Buyten et al, 201761 Reoperation, device replacement (Kumar and Bishop, 200965)

^aAll costs are reported in 2018 Canadian dollars.

^bThe costs of pocket pain with infection or deep infection were assumed to be the same.

^cGiven the specific design of the Freedom SCS system, the pocket pain and infection complication rates were not applicable and were not accounted for in the estimates of the procedure costs related to this device.

^dWe estimated this probability as a sum of probabilities related to the probability of lead fracture as a severe complication (4.8%, Deer et al, 2014¹⁶) and lead migration as a severe complication (2.4%, Van Buyten et al, 2013⁶²), based on data presented in the clinical evidence review.