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Economic Evaluation of Femtosecond Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery

Phase 3
Completed
Conditions
Cataract
Interventions
Procedure: Cataract surgery with Phacoemulsification
Device: Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery
Registration Number
NCT01982006
Lead Sponsor
University Hospital, Bordeaux
Brief Summary

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide and cataract surgery is the most frequent surgery performed in France. A new technology, the femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery, has to be compared with phacoemulsification alone, the conventional cataract surgery, to determine the economic impact of femtosecond laser-assisted process for the French healthcare insurance.

Detailed Description

An estimated 700,000 cataract procedures are performed every year in France, with this amount of surgeries predicted to climb as the population there, as well as around the world, ages. Currently, phacoemulsification alone is the conventional cataract surgery. The femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery has to be compared with the standard process to provide information on how it could benefit the patient population treated every year for cataract surgery. This economic study has received a grant from the French Ministry of Health to evaluate the economic impact of femtosecond laser-assisted process for the French healthcare system. For this goal, this prospective, randomized, parallel, multicenter and simple blind study will determine the incremental cost/effectiveness ratio for femtosecond laser-assisted process versus phacoemulsification surgery. Visual acuity results and intraoperative or postoperative complication rate will be compared between both groups. The learning curve of the femtosecond laser assisted cataract surgery will be also evaluated for each surgeon involved in the study.

Ethic and regulatory autority authorisations were obtained at 19/Dec/2012 and 15/Feb/2013, respectively. Date of first inclusion: 9/Oct/2013. Date of first NCT release: 13/Nov/2013. 30 patients were included between this period. French regulatory process dos not require NCT registration before first inclusion.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
920
Inclusion Criteria
  • Cataract with impaired visual acuity (> or equal +0.3 LogMAR) or with cataract-related visual symptoms (Halos, Monocular diplopia, glare)
  • French healthcare insurance beneficiary
Exclusion Criteria
  • Pupil size lower than 6mm
  • Iris constriction
  • Iris synechiae
  • Preoperative zonular instability or crystalline lens subluxation
  • Obstructive Corneal scars
  • Obstructive pterygion
  • Axial length <20.5 mm
  • Corneal astigmatism >1.5 diopters
  • Fuchs corneal dystrophy
  • History of Central retinal vein or artery occlusion
  • History of uveitis
  • History of optic nerve head neuropathy except glaucoma
  • Progressive glaucoma
  • Nystagmus
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
  • General history of dementia or psychotic disorders
  • Pregnancy, breast feeding
  • General medications: Alpha-blockers, Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
PhacoCataract surgery with PhacoemulsificationCataract surgery by phacoemulsification
FemtoFemtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgeryCorneal incision, anterior capsulorhexis and lens fragmentation by femtosecond laser
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Incremental Cost/effectiveness ratio defined as cost per incremental therapeutic success.3 months after inclusion

Therapeutic success will be defined by the association of the following criterion:

* No severe intraoperative or postoperative complications,

* Best Corrected Visual Acuity of 0 LogMAR,

* A refractive error inferior or equal to 0.75 diopter,

* Corneal surgically-induced astigmatism inferior or equal to 0.5 diopter and a postoperative change of astigmatism axis inferior or equal to 20°.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Quality of lifeBefore surgery (From day -8 to day -1) and months 1, 3 and 12 after surgery

Quality of life evaluation using Visual Function 14 questionnaire

Learning curve of the femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgeryEnd of research (Month 12)
Overall costs of cataract surgery in both arms from the hospital perspectiveEnd of research (Month 12)
Incremental cost - Utility ratio defined as incremental Cost/QALY (Quality Adjusted Life Year) for healthcare insurance in both arms12 months after inclusion
No severe intraoperative or postoperative complications3 months after inclusion
Best Corrected Visual Acuity of 0 LogMAR3 months after inclusion
Refractive error inferior or equal to 0.75 diopter3 months after inclusion
Corneal surgically-induced astigmatism inferior or equal to 0.5 diopter and a postoperative change of astigmatism axis inferior or equal to 20°3 months after inclusion

Trial Locations

Locations (5)

Hôpital Cochin

🇫🇷

Paris, France

CHU de Tours

🇫🇷

Tours, France

CHU de Bordeaux

🇫🇷

Bordeaux, France

Hospices Civils de Lyon

🇫🇷

Lyon, France

CHU de Brest

🇫🇷

Brest, France

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