• Addressing Osteoporotic Fractures: In-patient Fracture Liaison Service Collaboration Between Orthopaedic Surgery and Endocrinology | UPMC Physician Resources
  • Gele Moloney, MD, an orthopaedic trauma specialist and associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, co-created an in-patient Fracture Liaison Service at UPMC Mercy.

    Developed in collaboration with colleagues from the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, including Diana Pinkhasova, MD, and Karen Selk, DO, the program aims to address the gap in osteoporosis care, particularly for those at risk of a second fracture by conducting a comprehensive osteoporosis evaluating and, when appropriate, initiating treatment while in the hospital. Also collaborating on the project are orthopaedic surgeon Aaron Taylor, MD, and Matt Tagliaferro, PA-C, as well as the entire team of orthopaedic surgery physician assistants and the endocrinology team at UPMC Mercy.

• Transforming Limb Reconstruction Care for Pediatric Patients | UPMC Physician Resources
  • When Amanda McCoy, MD, MPH, FAAOS, FCS (ECSA), joined the Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in 2021, she brought with her a wealth of experience from years of training in the United States and time spent working in Kenya at a mission hospital. A Pittsburgh native, Dr. McCoy identified a significant gap in local care for children with complex limb deformities and limb length discrepancies. Families in the region faced the challenge of traveling to cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, or Columbus for treatment, making it difficult for many to access the care their children needed close to home. To address this, Dr. McCoy has been working to build a dedicated program at UPMC Children’s that not only provides state-of-the-art surgical interventions but also supports families with accessible, equitable care in the region within which they reside.

• Tackling The Achilles Heel of Joint Arthroplasty: Periprosthetic Joint Infections
  • Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are a significant challenge in orthopaedic surgery, particularly given the increasing number of hip and knee replacements performed annually in the United States. These infections can lead to painful complications, complex treatments, and often, the need for revision surgeries. F. Johannes Plate, MD, PhD, an orthopaedic surgeon in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh and director of Adult Reconstruction Research, along with colleagues from the Department, has been actively involved in research to improve the treatment of PJIs, notably contributing to the Apex-2 clinical trial (A Second Trial of the Abbreviated Protocol Two Stage Exchange) exploring novel devices and alternative strategies for managing these difficult-to-treat infections and revision hip or knee arthroplasties.

• Innovative Clinical Care, Basic Science and Outcomes Research for Shoulder Injuries and Reconstruction Techniques at UPMC
  • Shoulder injuries, encompassing a spectrum from acute dislocations to chronic degenerative diseases, present unique challenges in orthopaedic surgery. The complexity of shoulder anatomy combined with the joint's high demand for mobility and strength makes the treatment and research of shoulder conditions and complex injuries particularly challenging for surgeons. UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Orthopaedic Surgery are working to address the underlying clinical challenges of studying and repairing the shoulder joint to improve long-term patient outcomes, quality, and value of surgical care. By integrating advanced clinical care techniques, pioneering basic science research, and through rigorous patient outcomes research, UPMC is shaping the future of shoulder injury management and reconstruction techniques. Leading shoulder clinical care and research efforts at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh is Albert Lin, MD, FAAOS.
    
    
• Department to Collaborate On $16.8M NIH Study Aimed at Transforming Children's Surgical Pain Management
  • We are excited to announce that members of our orthopaedic care family at UPMC Children's will be collaborating on an important NIH study aimed at transforming pain management for children undergoing major surgeries. Departmental investigators will work with various departments across the University, including Ozgur Dede, MD, Chief, Division of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.  The project, titled “Implementing and Personalizing Best-In-Class Opioid-Sparing Pain Management for Major Inpatient Surgeries in Children,” aims to conduct multicenter PRECISE Analgesia trials. These trials will focus on implementing and investigating the efficacy and safety of a multidose methadone-based standardized Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol, along with developing personalized ERAS protocols for safe, effective opioid-sparing pain management following major surgeries such as posterior spine fusion (PSF) and cardiac surgery (CS) in children. Click here for more information about the study and the grant.

• More research news from the Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center.

   

• Read more 2024 research news and highlights from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

• New Chief Named to Lead Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
  • Ozgur Dede, MD, has been appointed new chief of the division of pediatric orthopaedic surgery, effective September 1, 2024.

   

• Craig Mauro, MD, was appointed as incoming Chair of the Fellowship Committee for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM). Dr. Mauro will hold the position for two years, beginning July 2024.

   

• MaCalus V. Hogan, MD, MBA, David Silver Professor and Chair of the UPMC Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, is the recipient of the 2024 Chuck Cooper Foundation Leadership Award. The Chuck Cooper Foundation isa 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is dedicated to honoring the life and achievements and continuing the legacy of Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, Charles “Chuck” Cooper, the first African-American drafted into the National Basketball Association. The Foundation awards graduate-level scholarships and provides leadership development programs, mentorship, and networking opportunities to underserved students.
  
  

  Read more 2024 faculty news, award, and accolades from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.

• Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Experts Contribute to Course Lectures and Presentations at the AOSSM 2024 Annual Meeting
  • The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) hosted its 52nd annual meeting July 10-14, 2024, in Denver, Colorado.

• Orthopaedic Surgeons Contribute to Education Program at AAOS 2024 Annual Meeting
  • Numerous members of the UPMC Department of Orthopaedic Surgery attended and contributed to meaningful sessions, interactive lectures, courses, and workshops focused on the latest breakthroughs in orthopaedics across all specialties and career stages.

• 2024 Freddie Fu Panther Sports Medicine Symposium
  • This three-day meeting hosted by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery signified the collaboration among global leaders in anatomic ACL reconstruction surgery to develop consensus on key focus areas within the field. Orthopaedic surgeons, physical therapists, athletic trainers, radiologists, and basic scientists discussed evidence-based recommendations, recent advances, and the future of anatomic ACL reconstruction, complex knee surgery, meniscus transplantation, cartilage surgery, and osteotomy.

• The UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and University of Pittsburgh Concussion Research Laboratory hosted the Targeted Rehabilitation and Evidence-based Active Treatments (TREAT) Sport-related Concussion Conference on April 20-21, 2024.

• The conference covered cutting-edge advances in evidence-based clinical care and research from assessment to treatment for both sport-related concussion and brain health.
• Course directors included Micky Collins, PhD, Clinical and Executive Director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program, and Anthony Kontos, PhD, Research Director, Vice-Chair Clinical Research and Professor, UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program.

More Conference News from 2024 from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

The Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopaedic and Spine Research publications share the latest news and research progress from our faculty and students, upcoming conferences and lectures, and in-depth profiles of the individuals working and training in our facility.

• Ferguson Laboratory Winter 2024 Publication
• Ferguson Laboratory Fall 2024 Publication

View individual articles in publications:

• Ferguson Lab Trainee Spotlight: Rahul Ramanathan, MD
  • Rahul Ramanathan, MD, clinical research fellow in the Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopaedic and Spine Research, is an orthopaedic surgery research track resident.

• Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC) Summer Student Research Program: Inaugural Class 2024
  • This is a competitive program designed to foster the next generation of musculoskeletal researchers.

• Does Cellular Senescence Drive Aging in Intervertebral Discs? New R01 Grant is Exploring Molecular Mechanisms at Play in IDD
  • Nam V. Vo, PhD, co-director of the Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopaedic and Spine Research was awarded a 2023 National Institutes of Health R01 grant that will further his ongoing research into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that lead to intervertebral disc degeneration.

• Ferguson Lab Spotlight: Christopher Como, MD
  • Pittsburgh native and current Ferguson Laboratory for Orthopaedic and Spine Research trainee, Christopher Como, MD, is currently second year of resident in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Orthopaedic Surgery’s six-year research track.

• Creating a Hub for Musculoskeletal Research: The Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh
  • The University of Pittsburgh and The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery has established the Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC), a groundbreaking initiative bolstered by a generous $25 million gift from the Orland Bethel Family Foundation and matched by the University of Pittsburgh.

• Members from both the Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC) and the Ferguson Spine Laboratory have been recognized as one of JOR Spine’s most cited authors. Their paper, “Percutaneous lumbar annular puncture: A rat model to study intervertebral disc degeneration and pain-related behavior," is one of JOR Spine's top 10 most-cited papers published.

• Hip-Spine Syndrome in the Nonarthritic Patient – Part II
  • In this CME, Michael McClincy, MD, Justin Arner, MD, and colleagues, discuss how to identify the SI Joint as a potential generator of hip / low back pain and contemporary surgical treatment options. They also describe post-op considerations for hip-related orthopedic surgical interventions and recognize the lower extremity kinematic chain and specific sport demands required of that chain.

• Hip-Spine Syndrome in the Nonarthritic Patient - Part I
  • In this CME, experts discuss important components of the quarter screening process applicable to individuals with potential pathology of the hip and lumbopelvic complex, explain the consequences of failing to address maladaptive psychological responses to pain in clinical practice, and discuss general rehabilitation principles for individuals with hip-spine syndrome.