ORTHOPEDIC RESEARCH LEADS COMMUNITY, EDUCATION & INNOVATION INITIATIVES
Did you know musculoskeletal conditions are the #1 cause of disability in the US? Half of Americans are impacted by basic daily activities from walking and climbing stairs to dressing and preparing meals.
OCRI is an independent 501(c)3 that strives to meet the growing demand for orthopedic care by challenging the status quo, pioneering inventions, and innovating ways to help patients like you.
The orthopedic care you receive at OrthoCarolina is at the forefront of medical treatment because of the research conducted by OCRI. Diane is just one of many patients who have found hope because of the innovation pioneered at OrthoCarolina.
OCRI performs more orthopedic research than most major universities. Then we share our results across the world, leading to better medical care, better outcomes, and better cost efficiency.
Help OCRI help you. The orthopedic treatments and procedures of today will not be the same as those of tomorrow. Make a gift today to invest in OCRI and the future of orthopedic care.
Key Initiatives at OCRI
While OCRI is committed to pioneering research in each subspecialty (Foot and Ankle, Hand, Hip and Knee, Pediatrics, Spine, and Sports Medicine), we have four initiatives that are particularly noteworthy and award-winning.
Opioid Reduction Effort
In first-of-its-kind research, our opioid-free anesthesia protocols are shown to be safe and effective in some elective orthopedic surgeries. Our goal is to reduce the number of opioids prescribed to patients during and after surgery.
By educating patients and healthcare professionals about our research-backed opioid-free surgery method, we are preventing narcotics from entering homes and lowering the risk of opioid addiction.
Virtual Reality research for amputation patients
Based on an overwhelming response from amputee patients, AR and VR (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality) seem to help relieve phantom limb pain while wearing headsets. Because of these observations, OCRI and VR programming experts are putting therapeutic uses of virtual reality in amputee and brachial plexus populations to the test.
Joint Infection research
Infections that involve a joint replacement are rare, extremely serious, and difficult to treat. Due to their expertise and commitment to research, OrthoCarolina's Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) Center treats more of these patients, through referrals, than anyone else in the Southeast. With that volume of patients, researchers formulate groundbreaking treatment plans with success rates of over 90%.
More work remains to find out why serious infections occur and how best to treat the patient not only to save their life, but give them the best quality of life possible. OCRI is leading the charge in developing treatment protocols that save lives and limbs.
But don’t just take our word for it, meet Bob. Bob’s leg and life were saved because of OCRI’s research efforts.
Return to Play
This research is a multi-disciplinary approach that will standardize treatment for ACL injuries, shoulder stabilization, and hip arthroscopy to get you back to the activities you love most as soon as possible.
