Mackay Base Hospital Orthopaedic team leads the way in nationwide research trial.

Mackay Base Hospital has recruited the highest number of randomised patients across a Australia and New Zealand wide clinical trial considering outcomes for elderly patients presenting with wrist fractures.

Over 24 months the study, ‘CROSSFIRE’, ran across 19 hospitals in Australia and New Zealand and was one of the first trials to be supported locally by the Mackay Institute of Research and Innovation (MIRI).

Wrist fractures are common, however the incidence in older populations is higher due to osteoporosis and increased falls risk. The trial aims to determine whether surgery or plaster cast has better outcomes for patients over the age of 60.

Principal Investigator, Dr Herwig Drobetz led an enthusiastic team of orthopaedic registrars including Dr Marcus Simonian throughout the trial.

“Currently there is a lack of evidence comparing these two common treatments, so is an excellent opportunity to be involved with a study such as CROSSFIRE that really has the potential to change clinical practice and improve outcomes for our older patients” said Dr Simonian.

Mackay Base Hospital was able to recruit 23 randomised patients during the CROSSFIRE study.

“This is a great result and quite an achievement to recruit the highest number of patients, especially compared with much bigger metropolitan centres who treat many more wrist fractures than we do in Mackay” said Dr Simonian.

Recruitment for the trial ceased in December last year and participants will continue to be followed up at regular intervals by the study surgeons and over the telephone by blinded researchers.

Once the follow up period of 12 months is concluded, the results will be analysed and published worldwide, enabling hospitals across the world to implement the change in practice to align with the findings of this ground-breaking study.

Photo: L-R Dr Marcus Simonian, Dr Alexey Borshch, Dr Pushkar Khire, Dr James Powell.

Table below: How Mackay Base Hospital compared with other sites in the CROSSFIRE study.