Dr. Lapner’s current research includes the following clinical research trials:

-Two randomized controlled trials investigating whether bone trephination improves healing rates in patients undergoing surgery for rotator cuff tears. These studies are exploring whether this procedure will increase rates of healing and functional outcomes when it is performed one week prior to surgery, as well as on the day of surgery.

-A study exploring whether the use of the novel decision making algorithm (The Instability Severity Index Score), compared to a conventional decision making algorithm, will improve disease-specific quality of life in patients undergoing a stabilization of the shoulder.

-A randomized controlled trial comparing two different methods of subscapularis mobilization in shoulder arthroplasty, tenotomy vs. peel, in patients with advanced arthritis of the glenohumeral joint. This study aims to determine whether differences exist in subscapularis strength, functional outcomes, and healing status of the subscapularis tendon between the two surgical procedures.

-An assessment of the diagnostic accuracy of percutaneous synovial biopsy for the detection of implant-related intraarticular shoulder infections, in comparison to direct macroscopic synovial biopsy, from either arthroscopic or open procedures (the reference standard). The aim of this research is to develop a reliable, less invasive, pre-operative investigative procedure to diagnose implant-related shoulder infection.

-An investigation into whether a difference exists in functional outcomes when comparing operative to non-operative management of proximal humerus fractures in the elderly population.