Ohio State University researchers have received a $1.1 million federal grant to study the differences in outcomes in patients who have undergone total knee replacement operations.

The research will explore potential causes for the gap between some knee replacement patients who struggle to perform daily tasks, such as climbing the stairs, and other patients who are able to resume activities like hiking and tennis after their operations, according to a statement from Ohio State.

The study will be aimed at determining if and how surgical technique, specifically intra-operative management of soft tissues surrounding the knee, relates to patient outcomes after total knee replacement surgery.

Among the goals of the study is to help surgeons to make more informed, evidence-based, intra-operative decisions, according to the statement.The grant comes from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases division of the National Institutes of Health. The research will be led by Robert Siston, an assistant professor in Ohio State’s department of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

“Even though surgical technique is believed to be important to the outcome of the operation, key decisions are subjectively and qualitatively performed during surgery, representing a significant gap in the current knowledge of the procedure,” Siston said.

Brandon Glenn MedCity News

Brandon Glenn is the Ohio bureau chief for MedCity News.