Reimbursement for reconstruction by tissue transfer-a European comparison.

Background: Case payment mechanisms have become the principal means of remunerating hospitals in most developed countries. Our purpose was to analyse the reimbursement for different types of tissue transfer in five European countries.

Methods: We looked at common surgical options for pedicled and free flaps.

Reimbursement for tissue reconstruction by pedicled and free flaps across five European countries. The importance of autologous breast reconstruction.

Aim: Case payment mechanisms have become the principle means of remunerating hospitals in many countries. We analysed the reimbursement for different types of autologous tissue transfer in five European countries.

Methods: We looked at common surgical options for breast reconstruction and flaps at other body regions.

[Development of DRGs in reconstructive breast surgery].

Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRG) were introduced in Germany in 2004 as a medico-economic classification system. In this analysis, we looked at reconstructive surgery after breast cancer, focusing on changes of the fee-per-case system in the last 6 years. Immediate, delayed, pedicle and free flaps as well as alloplastic reconstructive methods were analysed using data from German reference hospitals.