If you’re facing shoulder surgery to relieve your arthritis or fix a
rotator cuff tear, you’ve probably wondered what procedure is best. Fortunately, your orthopedic surgeon knows—thanks to clinical research.
Clinical research is why your doctor or surgeon can recommend one treatment or procedure over another. These investigations—studies where patients have access to new, innovative therapies—give providers the evidence to choose and deliver the best patient care that meets your unique needs.
According to
Paul Favorito, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with The Christ Hospital Physicians-Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, orthopedic clinical studies are vital because they can enhance your quality of life. And providers are always looking for better ways to improve conditions.
“I see patients who have problems with their shoulder and upper extremities. Research is mandatory to provide the best care and improve long-term function,” he says. “Even though we have ways to treat shoulder problems successfully, we still have difficult, unanswered questions about which treatments work best, whether different surgeries or implants will work better, and how patients are doing years after their procedure. Clinical research allows us to answer these questions.”
Here, Dr. Favorito explains how orthopedic clinical studies at The Christ Hospital are making a difference, particularly with
shoulder care.
Why clinical research matters for shoulder care
A shoulder injury or early-stage arthritis may have a minor impact on your health and well-being at first. But over time, they may cause pain and weakness and limit your range of motion. Eventually, daily activities like reaching for things or even getting dressed can become difficult.
Shoulder repair or
shoulder replacement surgery can fix these problems, and it’s important to have the right procedure. Some modifications to traditional shoulder replacement are better for people with certain amounts of bone loss. Others, like reverse shoulder replacement, may be a better option for more severe bone loss or older patients. Your surgeon can suggest a procedure based on the structure and condition of your shoulder. Surgeons consider the outcomes of people similar to you who had the same surgery in a clinical trial.
“Clinical research lets us look at how people respond to various procedures. We can see who does and doesn’t do well,” Dr. Favorito says. “We’re able to figure out which surgery might be the best fit for a patient. And we’re able to tell which ones we should avoid.”
Additionally, study results can tell you how long a shoulder replacement might last and whether (or when) you may need a repeat procedure.
How shoulder research is impacting care
Dr. Favorito and his colleagues actively research shoulder care through
The Carl and Edyth Lindner Research Center at The Christ Hospital Health Network. Dr. Favorito is the primary investigator for two current studies that are taking steps to improve shoulder replacement surgery for patients with shoulder arthritis or bone loss.
Better shoulder implants
Over time, people with shoulder arthritis lose bone and cartilage. This can lead to greater shoulder instability. Traditional shoulder replacement procedures implant a ball-and-socket joint that doesn’t provide enough support to make up for bone loss. In 2011, Dr. Favorito began implanting a special type of socket replacement with additional components that helped fortify spots where patients lost bone. In a five-year study, his team used CT and X-ray images to show that, after nearly nine years, the new shoulder implant performed well for 92 percent of patients. His team continues to study the long-term results and plans to check in with patients again in the future.
“These study results are valuable. They help us see how this new implant performs for people with more bone loss,” he says. “The outcomes tell us it provides at least the same level of success as a traditional implant would for someone with less bone loss, and future data could tell us the level of success is actually higher.”
3D Imaging Implant Planning
Shoulder replacement isn’t a one-size-fits-all procedure. Success often depends on how a patient’s muscles respond to the joint replacement. So, surgeons must choose the right type and size of implant. In another study, Dr. Favorito’s team is studying a preoperative surgical planning method. They pair CT and X-ray images with 3D imaging software. These models let surgeons see how a patient’s muscle moves with various implants. This enables them to select the implant that will deliver the best outcome for the patient.
“With preoperative planning, we can choose the optimal length and size of implant that fits our patient’s needs,” he says. “Research gives us the best idea of which tools to choose for our patient’s muscles. Then, we can take that information and follow those patients for several years to determine their long-term improvement.”
Participating in clinical research
At The Christ Hospital, all patients receive high-quality care. Participating in clinical research can give you access to leading-edge, innovative treatments, technologies and procedures. If you’re interested in participating in a study that focuses on your shoulder condition, you can be part of the next generation of shoulder care.
Dr. Favorito says every clinical trial is a government-approved effort to advance patient care.
“We design everything we do in research to help our current and future patients. Patients who participate in clinical research aren’t just trying to find a better treatment solution for themselves. They’re helping patients who follow them,” he says. “It’s important to remember that we’re able to make the best decisions for our current patients because previous patients decided to be part of research. The goal of the investigations we conduct today is to continue making good decisions for our patients now and those we will care for in years to come.”