Clinical and research activities

As head of the hip section on Aarhus University, the day-to-day running of a large tertiary hospital unit for complex hip surgery is a full-time job. Improving and performing surgical treatment of hip patients is the core of my employment.

Personally, moving the scope from experimental and basic science closer to the patients have led me to PreserveHip study (Benzon Foundation - 1,2 MIO DDK) and ProHip trial, where we still include patient. Through my scientific employment as associated professor, I have participated in the design of the studies. In the clinic, I enroll and operate the patients.

 I have since 2012 been head of Hip- and Kneearthroplasty section in Regional Hospital Horsens and later in 2017 the Hip Section Aarhus University Hospital. Furthermore, I have been elected as member of the board of Danish Hip and Kneearthroplasty Scociety and later elected as national representative of the European Hip Society. I have a broad experience in educating and supervising medical students, medical residents, surgical fellow and supervising scientific projects.

The success of my job depends on a well performed surgery with high-quality implants, but a well-prepared patient with high but realistic expectations is pivotal for a successful result. Establishing factors responsible for a poor outcome will make preoperative intervention possible or at least making it possible for the patient to make a qualified informed consent. The present study is feasible through combination of my clinical position, expertise, and my research activity. Patient involvement in health care decision making is currently a very important area for development.

In 2004, the randomized clinical trial “A comparison of Two Total Hip Replacements: Hip Resurfacing System vs. Mallory-Head/Exeter" initiated my career in orthopedic research. I drafted a protocol and subsequently coordinated the trial. During data collection, I pursued a more experimental path in my career. Using cell- and animal models biocompatibility was examined for clinical-used materials. Furthermore, retrieval studies of implant materials proved useful in characterizing the implant failure mechanism and the surrounding immunological response. 

 After completing my PhD and returning to clinical practice, I initiated a trial with Professor Maiken Stilling "A 4-way randomized migration (RSA), bone density (DEXA) and bone marker study assessing fixation and longevity of the new Regenerex Porous Titanium Tibial implant.

 As I gained more surgical experience, my interest in joint-preserving surgery grew. This led to the initiation of an ongoing multicenter clinical trial, where patients with hip dysplasia are randomized either to surgical treatment with a periacetabular osteotomy or non-surgical treatment (PreserveHip trial). Furthermore, through an elaboration of that collaboration with Professor Inger Mechlenburg, I participate in the high-quality and profiled multicenter clinical trial – the ProHip trial, where patients with hip osteoarthritis are randomized to either physiotherapy-led exercise or surgical treatment with a total hip replacement.

 As a bridge between the experimental work conducted during my PhD and the present clinical setting, I initiated a collaboration between a metallurgical group at the Danish Technological University (Professor Per Møller) and the Department of Dermatology at Gentofte Hospital (Consultant in Dermatology, Professor Jacob P. Thyssen). I also led and initiated the collaboration in “Immunological mapping of the Periimplant tissue”. The collaboration is ongoing and has so far resulted in a research year project entitled "An evaluation of the immune response in hip arthroplasty patients using dermato-immunological analyses” by medical student Henrik Jonathan Münch and "Effects of metal release from implants on the immune response, Ph.D. Thesis, Rune Juul Christiansen, DTU.