Orthopaedics - Karl Eriksson

Karl Eriksson’s research group in trauma and orthopaedic surgery conducts a wide range of clinical and registry-based research projects at the Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset at Karolinska Institutet and Södersjukhuset.

These projects include soft-tissue injuries of the knee (ligament, meniscus and cartilage), joint replacement surgery, fracture surgery especially in osteoporosis-related fractures, spine surgery and hand surgery. The main aim of the projects is to evaluate factors such as surgical technique, new methods, timing as well as patient related factors that influence the functional outcome and quality of life in order to improve the outcome in these conditions. 

Karl Eriksson

Research group leader

Group members

Researchers

Ted Eneqvist

Uffe Hylin

Piotr Kasina

Lasse Lapidus

Leif Mattisson

Pierre Rotzius

Johanna Rundgren

Eric Rydman

PhD students

Alexander Hallgren

Osama Omar

Lina Sjödin

Hanna Südow

Annika Tiliander

Katja Wallander

Sebastian McCallum

Cecilia Holmberg

Mattias Juhlin

Lee Thain

Collaboration

Sari Ponzer

Projects

Joint replacement surgery

Each year thousands of Swedish patients are operated with joint replacement of the hip, knee or shoulder. The commonest two causes for these surgeries are osteoarthritis and fractures involving these joints. The research group aims to study how patient’s factors such age, gender, weight, medical diseases, functional status would affect the functional outcome, quality of life and perioperative complications. One project will also evaluate different strategies in initial pain control after total knee replacement. The study will moreover assess perioperative bleeding and how new strategies in local infiltration anaesthesia can reduce bleeding in order to optimize surgical visualization without the use of a tourniquet.

Another ¨knee prosthetic related project¨ aims to assess the effect and functional outcome after surgery with a new mini metal implant (mini prosthesis) suited for local chondral injuries and defects in the knee.

More information: Karl Eriksson MD, PhD, Professor

Wrist fractures

Wrist fractures are common and the treatment is controversial. The interpretation of the outcome of the various treatment procedures is complicated by the wide range of patient expectation, from the young and active to the sedentary and non-active patient.

The research group is running three randomized trials to compare different fixation techniques and different anesthetic methods. The patients are followed, evaluated and compared utilizing modern Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) instruments together with clinical outcome measures.

More information: Cecilia Mellstrand-Navarro, MD, PhD, Johanna Rundgren, MD, PhD, Hanna Südow, MD, PhD student.

Recovery after whiplash injuries of the neck

The associations between genetic factors, insurance company involvement and radiological factors and the risk of non-recovery after trauma are poorly investigated nor understood. In several studies on patient cohorts with traffic accidents, the research group investigates the relationship between different factors associated with recovery after injuries. The aims are to identify people with acute whiplash injuries who are at risk for non-recovery. The group is also performing a RCT to investigate whether an intervention in the form of an information film can result in better recovery.

More information: Eric Rydman, MD, PhD

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and meniscus injuries of the knee

The research group runs several studies focusing on the methods and timing of ACL reconstruction as well on osteoarthritis following ACL-reconstruction. These studies are both clinical trials as well as registry-based studies from the Swedish national ligament registry.

The research group is also part of a large worldwide multicenter RCT study looking at different surgical techniques in ACL reconstruction with the aim to minimize reinjuries of the affected knee.

Another study evaluates the effect and functional outcome of a novel method (developed at our department)  to substitute a previously damaged and resected meniscus in  the knee.

More information: Karl Eriksson, MD, PhD, Professor.

Articles

Compensation claims following anterior cruciate ligament injuries reported to the patient insurance company in Sweden in 2005-2014.
Omar O, Rizvanovic D, Waldén M, Eriksson K, Barenius B, Stålman A
Acta Orthop 2022 01;93():97-102

Utilizing a contralateral hamstring autograft facilitates earlier isokinetic and isometric strength recovery after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a randomised controlled trial.
von Essen C, Hallgren A, Barenius B, Eriksson K
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2021 Aug;29(8):2684-2694

Acute reconstruction results in less sick-leave days and as such fewer indirect costs to the individual and society compared to delayed reconstruction for ACL injuries.
von Essen C, McCallum S, Barenius B, Eriksson K
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2020 Jul;28(7):2044-2052

Minimal graft site morbidity using autogenous semitendinosus graft from the uninjured leg: a randomised controlled trial.
von Essen C, McCallum S, Eriksson K, Barenius B
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2022 May;30(5):1639-1645

Autologous semitendinosus tendon graft could function as a meniscal transplant.
Rönnblad E, Rotzius P, Eriksson K
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2022 May;30(5):1520-1526

Association between cervical degeneration and self-perceived non-recovery after whiplash injury.
Rydman E, Kasina P, Ponzer S, Järnbert-Pettersson H
Spine J 2019 Aug;():

Regional or General Anesthesia in the Surgical Treatment of Distal Radial Fractures: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Rundgren J, Mellstrand Navarro C, Ponzer S, Regberg A, Serenius S, Enocson A
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2019 Jul;101(13):1168-1176

Nonoperative Treatment Compared with Volar Locking Plate Fixation for Dorsally Displaced Distal Radial Fractures in the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Saving J, Severin Wahlgren S, Olsson K, Enocson A, Ponzer S, Sköldenberg O, et al
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2019 Jun;101(11):961-969

External Fixation Versus Volar Locking Plate for Unstable Dorsally Displaced Distal Radius Fractures-A 3-Year Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Study.
Saving J, Enocson A, Ponzer S, Mellstrand Navarro C
J Hand Surg Am 2019 Jan;44(1):18-26

Long-term follow-up of whiplash injuries reported to insurance companies: a cohort study on patient-reported outcomes and impact of financial compensation.
Rydman E, Ponzer S, Brisson R, Ottosson C, Pettersson-Järnbert H
Eur Spine J 2018 06;27(6):1255-1261

 

KE
Content reviewer:
29-05-2023