Trends in Orthopaedic Trauma Research: A 30-Year Analysis of Orthopaedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting Abstracts, 1996-2025.

OBJECTIVES

To characterize 30-year trends in the topics of abstracts presented at the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) Annual Meeting.

METHODS

All OTA Annual Meeting abstracts from 1996 through 2025 were identified from the OTA online abstract archive. Two independent reviewers classified each abstract into 1 of 22 primary topic categories and recorded non-exclusive secondary research themes. Each category's annual proportion of abstracts was compared across 3 eras (1996-2005, 2006-2013, and 2014-2025), and its temporal trend across calendar years was assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 5,213 abstracts were included. From 1996-2005 to 2014-2025, the proportion of abstracts increased for hip and proximal femur trauma (7.7% to 14.4%; r = +0.79, P < 0.001), the most represented anatomic region in 2014-2025, and for health-systems research (12.6% to 19.1%; r = +0.64, P < 0.001). Geriatric (3.6% to 7.1%; r = +0.59, P < 0.001), arthroplasty for trauma (2.1% to 4.1%; r = +0.52, P = 0.003), and periprosthetic fracture (0.6% to 1.3%; r = +0.43, P = 0.018) themes also increased. Proportions declined for midfoot/hindfoot (6.3% to 1.8%; r = -0.75, P < 0.001), spine (3.3% to 0.7%; r = -0.74, P < 0.001), and pediatric trauma (5.4% to 1.9%; r = -0.66, P < 0.001). The proportion of randomized controlled trials did not change significantly (7.8%, 9.9%, and 5.4%; r = -0.21, P = 0.26).

CONCLUSIONS

Over 30 years, the proportion of Orthopaedic Trauma Association Annual Meeting abstracts addressing hip and proximal femur trauma, health-systems research, geriatric care, arthroplasty for trauma, and periprosthetic fractures increased, whereas the proportions addressing spine, pediatric, and midfoot/hindfoot trauma declined. The hip and proximal femur trauma category became the most represented anatomic region by 2014-2025, and the proportion of randomized controlled trials did not change significantly over the study period.