Interns Join Rebound Orthopedics & Neurosurgery to Assist in Research Study
Two students joined Rebound this summer to work on a multi-year research study. Erica Lee and Cierra LeBlanc, both in the Math, Science and Technology Magnet Program at Camas High School, worked on two studies involving patients receiving either total knee replacements or MAKOplasty robot assisted partial knee replacements.
During their internships, Ms. Lee and Ms. LeBlanc helped develop study processes and assisted with data entry and analysis. Data from their work was used in a presentation by Dr. Borus at the 53rd Carl E. Badgley Day at University of Michigan on September 19th, 2014. Also in September, an e-poster using data from one of the studies was presented in Japan at the 2014 International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty.
“Working with Cierra and Erica was a pleasure,” Said Pam Fairchild, who oversees the interns. “They asked insightful questions and provided thoughtful suggestions and observations about the research studies.”
This year is the second year Rebound has participated in the Camas High School magnet summer internship program. In order to be eligible, students must be in the magnet program about to start their senior year. The interns work 150 hours each.
In 2012, MAKO Surgical Corp. awarded Rebound a $265,000 three-year grant for these research studies. Todd Borus, MD and Donald Roberts, MD are the principal investigators of the studies, assisted by physical therapist, Michael Baer, Program Director, and Pam Fairchild, Research Director. The studies are conducted at Rebound’s Salmon Creek office.
The first study, Clinical Outcomes of Joint Arthroplasty, compares the outcomes of MAKOplasty, a robotic assisted partial knee resurfacing procedure, with traditional (non-robotic) total knee replacement surgery. The robotic assisted technique is an alternative to total knee replacement for eligible surgical candidates. This method is said to be more precise and less invasive than a total knee replacement, and is touted for improved patient outcomes, including a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery.
The purpose of the second study, Clinical and Economic Comparison of Robotic versus Manual Knee Arthroplasty, is to document and compare the surgical and after surgery costs, recovery time, and outcomes of robotic assisted partial knee replacement and traditional total knee replacement. Participants are asked to be involved for one year and the study will take 3 years to complete.