Drs. Carlos A. Sagebien and Mark S. Butler, traumatology experts; James T. Monica, a frequent contributor to the orthopaedic scientific community; and bone health clinician Patricia Seuffert, MS, APN were part of a major study regarding surgical care for hip fractures.

The Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial included the UOA group among an international pool of experts who served as investigators. Investigators, which can include doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, contribute research to clinical studies and trials. 

The study, titled Factors Associated With Revision Surgery After Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures, was published in the May 2018 edition of the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. The primary aim of this study was to identify factors that may cause a second surgery to be necessary after having a hip fracture repaired by internal fixation—plates, screws or rods surgically inserted under the skin to keep a broken bone aligned while it heals. Some of those factors include:

• Being female
• Having a high BMI
• The quality of the original surgery
• The type of fracture
• The type of screw

Data and analysis of the FAITH study was also included in an article in the March 2018 issue of The Bone & Joint Journal.

Intracapsular (within the capsule) fractures of the femoral neck are common and account for approximately 50 percent of all fractures involving the hip. Osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) is a major health concern, causing more than 8.9 million fractures annually, and it is also the leading cause of hip fractures.

Read more about the study here.