There is currently a large portfolio of research studies running across orthopaedic and trauma services in Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We have both NIHR and commercial studies. Most studies are surgical randomised control trials where patients are randomly assigned to one of two groups, to test if one intervention is better than another.
Current research:
In shoulder replacement surgery, doctors remove the damaged parts of the shoulder and replace them with plastic or metal parts.
The RAPSODI-UK study compares two types of shoulder replacement: the Total Shoulder (Anatomic) replacement and the Reverse Shoulder replacement. These are the two types of shoulder replacement that NHS doctors use most often for patients with arthritis who need a shoulder replacement. They both help to reduce pain and maintain or improve movement. However, doctors genuinely don’t know yet which one works best. The aim of the study is to find this out.
Patients will be randomly assigned into two groups to receive either an anatomic or a reverse total shoulder replacement.