[영문]Objectives: U.S. expenditures on medical devices ($70 billion in 2003) are one of the fastest growing components of hospital costs. Physicians selection of medical devices lacks an evidence base on the comparative clinical effectiveness of these products. Comparative studies (e.g., vendor 1 versus vendor 2, technology A versus technology B) are increasingly promoted in the public sector as a means of cost containment, value-based purchasing, and quality improvement. This study illustrates how hospitals and physicians can conduct comparative technology assessments of product performance.Methods: Surgeons evaluated comparable medical devices manufactured by eight different vendors in standardized surgical procedures. Devices included sutures and endomechanical products, which account for