Hip & Knee Research Group

Overview

The Hip & Knee Replacement Research Group brings together experts in clinical care, engineering, and innovation to improve each aspect of joint replacement. Through a multidisciplinary approach involving clinical and laboratory research, the team works to help patients recover faster, experience fewer complications, and return to the activities they enjoy.

Arthroplasty Research Program

The Arthroplasty Research Program focuses on patient outcomes, value-based healthcare, and clinically meaningful research in hip and knee reconstruction. Under the mentorship of hip and knee surgeons at Mass General, arthroplasty clinical fellows work with arthroplasty research fellows to develop projects investigating perioperative optimization, complications, revision surgery, healthcare resource utilization, and patient-reported outcomes, with the goal of improving the quality and delivery of arthroplasty care.

Harris Orthopaedics Laboratory

The Harris Orthopaedics Laboratory builds on the legacy of pioneering researcher William H. Harris, MD, to innovate new techniques, devices, implant designs and materials for joint surgery.

Bioengineering Laboratory

The Bioengineering Laboratory focuses on optimizing patient outcomes through translational bone and joint research, developing the next generation of joint technology to share with the world.

Advances in Motion

Advances in Motion provides health care professionals with information about the latest innovations from Mass General, including research from the Hip & Knee Replacement Service.

Publications

Selected Publications

• AAHKS Surgical Techniques & Technologies Award: Blackburn AZ, Mittal A, Velasco B, ... Bedair HS, Melnic CM. Inferior Screw Fixation Decreases Acetabular Component Failure Following Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2024;39(9S2):S8-S12. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2024.04.049.
• AAHKS Best Poster Award, Infection Category: Salimy MS, Blackburn AZ, Katakam A, Bedair HS, Melnic CM. Utility of Diagnostic Markers in Late Periprosthetic Joint Infection Workup for Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients Who Received Antibiotics 48 Hours Before Aspiration. J Arthroplasty. 2023;38(9):1854-1860. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2023.03.010.
• AAHKS Podium Presentation: Lim PL, Abe EA, Kumar AR, … Bedair HS, Melnic CM. Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis After Revision Hip Arthroplasty: A Multicenter Analysis of Anticoagulant Choice and Weight-Bearing Status. J Arthroplasty. 2025;40(9S1):S551-S557.e1. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2025.04.020.
• AAHKS Podium Presentation: Salimy MS, Paschalidis A, Dunahoe JA, … Bedair HS, Melnic CM. Time to Achieve the Minimal Clinically Important Difference in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: Comparison of Anterior and Posterior Surgical Approaches. J Arthroplasty. 2024;39(9S2):S314-S321. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2024.04.038.
• AAHKS Symposium: Melnic CM, Bernstein JA, Gililland JM, Sauder N, Blankstein M. How to Manage Intraoperative Complications During Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2025;40(9S1):S72-S83. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2025.05.018.
• Mittal A, Blackburn AZ, Katakam A, Bedair HS, Melnic CM. Dual Surgical Setup Associated with Reduced Infection Recurrence for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty After Two-Stage Exchange. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2024;32(2):68-74. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-23-00317.
• Katakam A, Melnic CM, Bedair HS. Dual Surgical Setup May Improve Infection Control Rate of Debridement and Implant Retention Procedures for Periprosthetic Infections of the Hip and Knee. J Arthroplasty. 2020;35(9):2590-2594. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2020.04.068.
• Salimy MS, Humphrey TJ, Katakam A, Melnic CM, Heng M, Bedair HS. Which Factors Are Considered by Patients When Considering Total Joint Arthroplasty? A Discrete-choice Experiment. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2023;481(3):427-437. doi:10.1097/CORR.0000000000002358.
• Melnic CM, Cohen-Levy WB, Lozano-Calderon SA, Heng M. Treatment of Severe Acetabular Bone Loss Using a Tantalum Acetabular Shell and a Cemented Monoblock Dual Mobility Acetabular Cup. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2022;30(3):e301-e306. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-21-00433.
• Lim PL, Freiberg AA, Melnic CM, Bedair HS. Patient-reported outcomes in total hip arthroplasty for patients with anatomically contoured femoral heads. Hip Int. 2024;34(6):748-753. doi:10.1177/11207000241282985.
• Singh R, Narravula R, Williams DL, … Melnic CM, Bedair HS. Do Patients Undergoing Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty Who Fail to Achieve MCID Have Higher Rates of Conversion to Total Knee Arthroplasty?. J Arthroplasty. Published online March 13, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2026.03.012.
• Williams DL, Sauder N, Singh R, … Melnic CM, Bedair HS. Does Prior Arthroscopy Delay Clinically Relevant Improvement Timelines Following Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty and Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty?. J Arthroplasty. Published online March 11, 2026. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2026.03.002.
• Sauder N, Booth M, Lim PL, Melnic CM, Bedair HS. Value in Knee Arthroplasty: A Comparative Patient-Level Value Analysis of Cost and Cost-Effectiveness for Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty and Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty in the United States. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2025;33(21):e1269-e1278. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-25-00299.
• Lim PL, Gonzalez MR, Wang KY, Sauder N, Bedair HS, Melnic CM. Does Robotic Assistance Increase the Likelihood of Achieving the Minimal Clinically Important Improvement Following Total Hip Arthroplasty? Findings From a Propensity Score Matched Analysis of 1,364 Procedures. J Arthroplasty. 2025;40(11):2930-2937. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2025.05.015.
• Nepple CM, Blackburn AZ, Feder OI, Prasad AK; Writing Committee, Bedair HS. Minimum 10-Y Follow-Up of Vitamin-E-Diffused Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene Liners in Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Comparative Evaluation From a Prospective, International, Multicenter Cohort Study. J Arthroplasty. 2025;40(3):718-724. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2024.09.002.
• Salimy MS, Humphrey TJ, Egan CR, Alpaugh K, Bedair HS, Melnic CM. Diagnostic Test Performances for Identifying Periprosthetic Joint Infection in Hip Hemiarthroplasty. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2024;32(10):447-455. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-23-00305.