Endovascular coiling is one of the main procedures for treatment of cerebral aneurysms. Radiologists are usually faced with two situations: the ruptured aneurysms and unruptured aneurysms. They have to inform patients about the potential costs of care especially in patients who do not have insurance health plan. Is there a difference in the overall cost of care and in cost of pharmaceutical products for patients in the two situations?

Eighty-six patients who had 1 aneurysm were admitted in hospital between January 2010 and October 2014 and were included in this study. The overall cost was assessed by using the micro-costing technique. All data on principal parameters were taken from the hospital information system. A Mann-Whitney analysis was used to define the difference between the two groups of patients. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS V.13.0.

Eighteen patients have had an unruptured aneurysm and 68 have had a ruptured aneurysm. The results are summarized in the Table 1.

The cost of pharmaceutical products is higher among patients with unruptured aneurysms; this is probably due to the size of the aneurysm and his neck, which are greater than in patients with a ruptured aneurysm. However, the overall length of stay is longer in patients who had a ruptured aneurysm. This high cost offsets the high cost of pharmaceutical products observed in the first group. That is why the overall cost does not differ between the two situations. These results should be considered by physicians when they inform their patients about their aneurysms care cost.