Background The perception of surgery as expensive and complex might be a barrier to its widespread acceptance in global
health eff orts. We did a systematic review and analysis of cost-eff ectiveness studies that assess surgical interventions in
low-income and middle-income countries to help quantify the potential value of surgery.
Methods We searched Medline for all relevant articles published between Jan 1, 1996 and Jan 31, 2013, and searched
the reference lists of retrieved articles. We converted all results to 2012 US.Weextractedcost−effectivenessratios(CERs)andappraisedeconomicassessmentsfortheirmethodologicalqualityusingthe10−pointDrummondchecklist.FindingsOfthe584identifiedstudies,26metfullinclusioncriteria.Together,thesestudiesgave121independentCERsinsevencategoriesofsurgicalinterventions.ThemedianCERofcircumcision(13·78 per disability-adjusted
life year [DALY]) was similar to that of standard vaccinations (12⋅96–25⋅93perDALY)andbednetsformalariaprevention(6·48–22·04 per DALY). Median CERs of cleft lip or palate repair (47⋅74perDALY),generalsurgery(82·32 per DALY), hydrocephalus surgery (108⋅74perDALY),andophthalmicsurgery(136 per DALY) were
similar to that of the BCG vaccine (51⋅86–220⋅39perDALY).MedianCERsofcaesareansections(315·12 per
DALY) and orthopaedic surgery (381⋅15perDALY)aremorefavourablethanthoseofmedicaltreatmentforischaemicheartdisease(500·41–706·54 per DALY) and HIV treatment with multidrug antiretroviral therapy
($453·74–648·20 per DALY).
Interpretation Our fi ndings suggest that many essential surgical interventions are cost-eff ective or very cost-eff ective
in resource-poor countries. Quantifi cation of the economic value of surgery provides a strong argument for the
expansion of global surgery’s role in the global health movement. However, economic value should not be the only
argument for resource allocation—other organisational, ethical, and political arguments can also be made for its
inclusion