Cost of ti. rod (medical)?

[Dixie]

Okay MDs:

A friend suffered a recent broken arm. She told me they inserted a titanium rod as part of the repair. I know titanium is pricey. And surely it's also of some medical grade/design. So we got to wondering...

How much does that rod cost?

[Flatbutt1]

didn't they capture the cost on the parts list?

[HardDrive]

Pretty easy to figure out actually.

Actual production cost X 50% profit markup + 1000% markup at the hospital = Your Shaft(ed)

Sadly, this is probably not a joke.

[Dave L]

be sure to ask for the parts back when they are done.

[Halm]

It has been more than 25 years since I was a marketing manager at one of the major orthopedic manufacturers, but based on my experience there, a 50% manufacturing gross profit is light, way light. It was closer to 6X, or 83% GP. Then add the obscene hospital profits. Ouch.

[lendaddy]

Titanium is expensive but it's not that expensive. I imagine it's inconsequential in the scheme of what your buddy is charged all together.

I speak only of the material costs, not the machining.

[Noah930]

Depends. It'll depend on the manufacturer and the distributor's contract with the hospital. Also, does the distributor sell the item to the hospital, which then bills the patient/insurance? Or does the distributor bill the insurance company directly? Different parties get different rates. Each screw that gets put in to lock the intramedullary rod into place gets billed, too. Size of the rod may make a lesser difference in cost. That being said, I'm guessing roughly $1000-1500. Maybe as much as $2000.

[Dixie]

Thanks Noah. Close enough to answer our intrigue.

[Anton]

$17 a pound, plus certification, plus manufacture, plus mark-up.

[911pcars]

Ti is more biocompatible than stainless steel or cobalt chrome and has a high strength-to-weight ratio.

A parent in my daughter's class used to sell Ti plate kits to hospitals and consult with surgeons for proper application and installation to repair and support broken bones.

He said the plates his company used are Grade 2. CP (commercially pure) titanium is available in Grades 1-4. They also use alloyed grades of ti for increased strength and desired properties for other medical and dental applications (e.g. Grade 4, 6AL-4V). It's also a great material for bikes.

Not sure what kind of prep or certification is needed for medical applications. I bet it's high level, maybe comparable to aircraft certified ti?




What's a car forum without tools?. Here are some created for Cronenberg's film, "Dead Ringers" (1988). They were designed to be diabolical. You might squirm a little looking at these as well as the actual film.




Sherwood

[5axis]

I'm pretty sure the medical shop makes quite a bit more than I get building molds.

I am also a customer..
I made it 1 1/2 laps at Grattan before this oops.