Well Foundation funding helps transform joint infection research

An ambitious research project funded by Well Foundation has helped create one of the largest and most comprehensive datasets of joint replacement infections of its kind internationally – right here in Auckland.

Thanks to three years of generous support from the Bruce MacMillan Fellowship through Perpetual Guardian, researchers have been able to build a much clearer picture of joint replacement infections, helping doctors better understand how these serious infections can be prevented and treated.

Why is the research important?

Joint replacement surgery can transform lives, restoring mobility and independence for people living with severe arthritis. But when a replacement joint becomes infected, the consequences can be devastating, with patients potentially facing further surgery, lengthy hospital stays and extended courses of antibiotics.

Data from the project is helping clinicians better understand who is most at risk, when different treatments are most likely to work, and which antibiotics may be most effective.

For example, data indicates that cleaning the infected joint while keeping the artificial joint in place, combined with antibiotic treatment is successful in approximately half of hip and knee infection cases.

Insights like these will help doctors prevent infections, choose treatments more effectively, reduce repeat surgery and lengthy hospital stays, and improve recovery and quality of life for patients.

“Well Foundation is proud to have funded this important research initiative. What began as an ambitious research project has now become one of the largest and most comprehensive datasets of its kind internationally,” says Heidi Wilde, Director of Fundraising, Partnerships & Communications at Well Foundation.

What has been the international impact?

The impact of the project is now extending well beyond Auckland.

The team is participating in ROADMAP, a major international trial involving 39 hospitals across five countries that is investigating the best ways to manage joint replacement infections.

North Shore Hospital was the first New Zealand site approved for the trial and has already recruited six patients.

The strength of the research has also helped secure $1.5 million in Health Research Council funding, helping this important work continue beyond Well Foundation's initial three-year philanthropic investment.

It is an exciting example of what can happen when our community invests in healthcare research – supporting innovation in our local hospitals while helping shape better treatment for patients in New Zealand and around the world.

Visit the Well Foundation project page for this initiative to learn more.