Figure 2

Cost-effectiveness model. A) Short-term model, the decision tree. The arrows represent the transition of the hypothetical patients towards the selected post-operative outcomes (triangles). These transitions are characterized by probability estimates (p 1 to p 10), costs, and health-related quality-of-life weights. For the routine fluid treatment, probability estimates were extracted from a cohort from Lund University Hospital [7]. * For goal-directed hemodynamic treatment (GDHT), the interim analysis was used. ** For mortality, published data on high-risk patients were used [8]. B) The long-term model, Markov structure. The hypothetical patients were allocated to health states characterized by health-related quality-of-life weights. During annual cycles of simulation, the patients transition in the model or stay in the same heath state. These transitions are characterized by probability estimates (p 11 to p 21). {AU After each cycle, quality-adjusted life-years and direct health-care costs are aggregated.