Connecting Trainees with Researchers

The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons is wanting to help members connect with trainees/early career researchers who are interested in pursuing a research project. 

If you would like to attract trainees researchers and promote your potential research project on the ASPS website, please complete this form. 

Assessment of outcomes after body contouring surgery

True and Choke anastomoses and their role in the prediction of blindness following intravascular injection of Hyaluronic Acid Filler

Area of interest – Aesthetic
Study Type – Anatomical / animal model
Location – University of Melbourne, Parkville
Suitable for – Pre-vocational, PhD/Masters by Research
Expected time commitment/duration of project – 4 hours per week for 6 months
Ethics approval – Pending
Expected output – Publication/s in peer-reviewed journal/s, International conference presentation/s
Funding – available
Contact – Prof Mark Ashton

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Current Research Projects

ASPS members have numerous active research projects nationwide. Below is a sample of our research projects seeking recruitment assistance or data from specialist plastic surgeons.

Health-related quality of life outcomes of abdominoplasty for rectus diastasis after pregnancy

This is a cohort study examining the health-related quality of life outcomes, back pain and urinary incontinence in women undergoing abdominoplasty with plication for rectus diastasis after pregnancy. Women with rectus diastasis (30mm on ultrasound) are either undergoing abdominoplasty (surgical group) or not undergoing surgery for at least 12 months (controls). They will be assessed using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) as online questionnaires at baseline (pre-op) and over the subsequent 12 months (post-op). Inclusion criteria predominantly reflect the MBS criteria for item 30175.

This study is seeking Australian Plastic Surgeons to help with recruitment for the study.

Status: Open, and actively recruiting

Supported by Flinders University and ethical approval provided by the Southern Adelaide Clinical Human Research Ethics Committee.

Contact
Dr Siobhan Fitzpatrick
e: Siobhan.fitzpatrick@sa.gov.au
w: abdomicare.org

---

Australian Hand Difference Register

The Australian Hand Difference Register (AHDR) is a database of children born with a hand difference and/or arm difference. The AHDR is managed by researchers at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute which is located at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Victoria.

This study is seeking Australian Plastic Surgeons to help with recruitment for the study. (Relevant ethics/governance approvals apply, if not already in place).

Children will be eligible to be included in the AHDR if all of the following conditions are met:

• aged up to 18 years old
• was born in, or lives in, Australia
• has a congenital hand/upper limb anomaly which can be classified under the OMT Classification of Congenital Hand and Upper Limb Anomalies.

Status: Open, and actively recruiting

Supported by: McNally Family Foundation, ASPS and Aussie Hands

Participating sites  

• The Royal Children’s Hospital, VIC
• Monash Children’s Hospital, VIC
• Sunshine Hospital, VIC
• Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (Randwick & Westmead), NSW
• Gold Coast University Hospital, QLD
• Queensland Children’s Hospital, QLD
• Adelaide Women’s & Children’s Hospital, SA
• Flinders Medical Centre, SA
• Perth Children’s Hospital, WA
• Royal Hobart Hospital, TAS

Contact
Joanne Kennedy, AHDR Coordinator
p: (03) 9936 6766
e: ahdr@mcri.edu.au

---

Significant burn injury is a distinct and important component of the overall burden of injury across Australia and New Zealand. The BRANZ provides valuable information on the incidence, aetiology, management, and outcomes of burn injury admitted to Australian and New Zealand specialist burn centres.

Clinicians and researchers interested in utilising BRANZ data are directed to the Data Requests section of our website.

All first admissions to an Australian or New Zealand burns service within 28 days of the burn injury occurring where a burn injury is the principal reason for admission, are included in the BRANZ registry. All transfers from another hospital are included irrespective of the time of injury to admission. Patients admitted to another hospital service but who require a burn service consult are also included in the BRANZ. 

In addition, the patient must (a) be admitted for a period of 24 hours or more, or (b) be admitted for less than 24 hours but undergo a burn wound management procedure in theatre. All in-hospital deaths are included in the BRANZ regardless of the time since admission.

Readmissions to the burns service within 28 days of the date of discharge from the first admission are captured by the BRANZ.

The BRANZ does not include patients with medical conditions such as Steven Johnson Syndrome or TENS, nor does it include patients with extravasation injuries.

Status: Active

Supporting Institutions

• Monash University
• Royal Hobart Hospital
• The Alfred
• Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne)
• Royal North Shore Hospital
• Concord Repatriation General Hospital
• Children’s Hospital at Westmead
• Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
• Townsville University Hospital
• Queensland Children’s Hospital
• Royal Darwin Hospital
• Fiona Stanley Hospital
• Perth Children’s Hospital
• Royal Adelaide Hospital
• Women’s & Children’s Hospital
• Middlemore Hospital
• Hutt Hospital
• Christchurch Hospital
• Waikato Hospital

Contact
w: branz.org
Academic Lead: Professor Belinda Gabbe (belinda.gabbe@monash.edu)
Clinical Lead: Associate Professor Heather Cleland (H.Cleland@alfred.org.au)
Registry Contact: Dr Lincoln Tracy (anzba.registry@monash.edu)