Orthopedic Surgery
Research
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is recognized as a leader in many areas of pediatric orthopaedic research. The Pediatric Orthopaedics Research Group is a recognized leader in many areas of pediatric orthopaedic research. The goal of our orthopaedic research team is to improve musculoskeletal health in children. Among its research projects are those investigating:
- minimally invasive endoscopic treatment of benign cystic bone tumors
- complex genetic disorders
- metabolic bone disease
- congenital and developmental anomalies
- post-traumatic reconstruction of complex trauma
The Pediatric Orthopaedics Research Group at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is also looking at post-surgical outcomes. These particular research projects include:
- quality-of-life studies to develop methods for assessing the health outcomes in children who have had orthopaedic interventions;
- a quality-of-life study focusing on patients who have undergone surgery for the treatment of neurogenic scoliosis and the burden of care issues for their caregivers; and
- a study that is looking at postoperative outcomes of clubfoot repair.
Concerns about the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have driven the evolution of surgical transfusion practices, including the use of preoperative erythropoetin. The group has been examining the effect of this drug in pediatric orthopaedic patients - with emphasis on those who underwent surgery for spinal deformity at the Hospital.
Laboratory research will investigate whether the use of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug - Ketorolac Tromethamine - used to decrease postoperative pain has the potential to inhibit bony fusion. A previous retrospective study of children who underwent scoliosis surgery from 1989 to 1999 at the Hospital was conducted - and while a larger study is necessary - the data suggest the postoperative use of Ketorolac does not significantly increase complications in these patients.
Although significant pelvic fractures in children are relatively uncommon, these injuries can have profound and lasting effects on their functioning and quality of life. Yet, most pediatric trauma centers see only a few of these cases each year. A retrospective analysis of 1,190 children with pelvic fractures was conducted between 1994 and 2000, using the National Pediatric Trauma Registry. This multi-center study is the Pediatric Orthopaedic Research Group's first web-based project which, it hopes, will expand opportunities for the design and conduct of patient-based research in the area of pediatric musculoskeletal trauma through the development, implementation, and piloting of a web-based, pediatric musculoskeletal trauma outcomes registry. This unique registry will not only allow for the collection of standardized clinical data on children with orthopaedic trauma, but will also utilize newly available pediatric quality of life measures as part of the prospective evaluation of the outcome of these patients. The group will seek to demonstrate that this web-based project can be integrated into clinical practice of participating institutions to support clinical research in musculoskeletal trauma. The project will also serve to generate meaningful clinical information for future work in the area.
