Orthopedic Clinical Research
Physician scientists at the University of Maryland Department of Orthopaedics are involved in more than 17 orthopedic clinical trials and grants totaling $45 million. The Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research currently has the department ranked third in funding for orthopedic departments of public medical schools.
Read details below about our current clinical studies and research grants.
Clinical Studies and Research Grants
Practice-Changing Orthopedic Research
PREVENT CLOT: Supported by $12 million in funding from PCORI and led by Robert V. O'Toole, MD, the "PREVENT CLOT" trial is the largest orthopedic trauma trial ever, as it evaluated 12,211 patients with pelvic, acetabular, or extremity fractures treated operatively. It demonstrated that thromboprophylaxis with aspirin was noninferior to low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaparin) in preventing death at 90 days. (N Engl J Med. 2023 Jan 19;388(3):203-13 PMID 36652352)
PREP-IT: A three-part trial supported by $15 million in funding from PCORI and the Department of Defense, and led by Gerard P. Slobogean, MD, compares preoperative antiseptics in more than 10,000 patients undergoing fracture surgery. The first trial, Aqueous-PREP (Lancet 2022; 400 (10360): 1334–44 PMID 36244384), found aqueous 10% povidone-iodine or 4% chlorhexidine gluconate have similar efficacy for skin antisepsis in adults receiving surgical fixation for open fractures. The two remaining PREP-IT trials will be submitted for publication in 2023.
Veteran's Administration Career Development Award
Natalie L. Leong, MD, was awarded this career development award $1.6 million over five years to study the role of perivascular stem cells in ligament and tendon healing.
OREF Soft Tissue Repair and Regeneration Sports Medicine Grant In Honor of Russell F. Warren, MD
Natalie L. Leong, MD, is the principal investigator for the $225K research award "Therapeutic Application of Perivascular Stem Cells to Rotator Cuff Repair" from the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF).
Intrawound Vancomycin Powder to Reduce Surgical Site Infections
A 980-patient randomized trial supported by a $2.5 million grant from the Department of Defense and led by Robert O'Toole, MD, demonstrated that intrawound vancomycin powder substantially reduces gram-positive bacterial infections in high-risk tibial plateau and pilon fractures. (JAMA Surgery 2021 May 1;156(5):e207259 PMID 33760010)
Mortality in Hip Fracture Patients: Identifying the Prognostic Value of Troponin
The Department is co-leading an international, multicenter randomized controlled trial of 1,100 patients comparing accelerated surgery to standard care in hip fracture patients presenting with elevated troponin levels. The trial is supported by a $4 million National Institutes of Health grant with Gerard P. Slobogean, MD as the principal investigator.
The Maryland Orthopaedic Registry
The MOR was established by R. Frank Henn III, MD to comprehensively assess post-surgical outcomes and was supported by $1 million in funding from the James L. Kernan Endowment Fund. More than 4,500 patients have been enrolled and it has led to over 30 publications.
Disseminating Key Research Findings Directly to Clinicians
Nathan N. O'Hara, PhD, and Robert V. O'Toole, MD, have been approved for a $300,000 funding award by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to disseminate and implement research findings from the PREVENT CLOT trial, which is based on preventing blood clots in fracture patients. Even the most impactful findings from clinical research studies can take years to make it into widespread clinical practice. Cutting that lag time and smoothing the path to uptake is the focus of this PCORI-funded project.
Veteran's Administration Merit Award
Mohit N. Gilotra, MD was awarded $1.8 million over four years to study pharmacologic inhibition of muscle fatty infiltration.
Learn more about the University of Maryland Department of Orthopaedics.