Chris Flanagan, MD

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Humanitarian Scholar Recipient Chris Flanagan

"The OTA Resident Research Grant has given me the opportunity to improve the care of trauma patients in a novel way. As Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons, we strive to stabilize fractures in a manner which minimizes additional soft tissue insult and maximizes functional outcomes. To achieve this goal, we must consider not only fracture morphology but also patient factors. In contrast to elective patients, trauma patients often present with unknown, or poorly controlled, medical comorbidities. Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and smoking can lead to undiagnosed peripheral artery disease (PAD). In injuries with high-risk for wound and fracture healing complications, including bicondylar tibial plateau and tibial plafond fractures, PAD may further increase this risk. 

Without the assistance of the OTA Resident Research Grant, I could not have pursued my goal of prospectively determining the rate of undiagnosed PAD in an at-risk population undergoing fixation of bicondylar tibial plateau and tibial plafond fractures. While the grant supports this initial goal, I hope that this is only a starting point. Down the line, I hope to identify if interventions for undiagnosed PAD could reduce rates of wound and fracture healing complications in high-risk injuries. Therefore, I consider the OTA Resident Research Grant a fundamental starting point for my future academic career. I sincerely appreciate the financial contributions of those who support these vital grants."

Title: “Prospective study of the prevalence of peripheral artery disease in at-risk patients undergoing fixation of complex tibial plateau and tibial plafond fractures