Outcomes Research

The clinical research mission of the Division of Orthopaedics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center focuses on process improvement, treatment innovation, patient- and family-centered care and the practice of evidence-based medicine.  Although we do not believe that any one condition is more important than another, we focus on the most common problems in orthopaedics: femoral shaft fractures, forearm fractures and supracondylar humeral fractures. Priority is also given to the most expensive problems such as spinal deformities.

In addition, we have a special interest in some of the most complicated and underappreciated musculoskeletal problems in children: neonatal brachial plexus injury and pediatric bone tumors. Current goals are to expand the division's involvement in funded randomized surgical trials and to continue to give orthopaedic residents and fellows a firm foundation in clinical research and evidence-based pediatric orthopaedics.

Brachial Plexus

The Division of Orthopaedics has been a leader in outcomes collection through its Brachial Plexus Center since the center was established in 2002. The Brachial Plexus Center is one of only a few teams in the country offering a coordinated, interdisciplinary approach to diagnose and treat children with brachial plexus injuries. 

Research is aimed at the effective treatment of these injuries. Our center’s current and ongoing research includes basic science research focusing on the impact of injuries on growth and development of muscles, multicenter studies focusing on the appropriate timing of nerve repair and psychological development of adolescents, clinical research focusing on surgical outcomes, EMG testing, MRI analysis, outcomes following Botox injections, aspects of therapeutic intervention and postoperative pain management following surgical intervention.