Zaamin Hussain, MD, of Emory University in Atlanta, received the 2024 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) National Resident Champion Award Monday at the OREF Board of Trustees reception. Judges named Dr. Hussain champion at the fourth annual OREF National Resident Research Symposium in November 2024 for his presentation titled “Incision or Excision? What To Do with the A1 Pulley for Trigger Finger: Results of a Multi-Surgeon Randomized Controlled Trial.”

In addition to receiving the award, as symposium champion, Dr. Hussain is attending the AAOS Annual Meeting as OREF’s guest.

During the symposium, Dr. Hussain presented the results of a randomized, multi-surgeon trial, which hypothesized that treating trigger finger by excising the A1 pulley would reduce recurrence, pain, and effect on daily activity when compared with treating by incision. He and his research team found, however, that at 6 months post-surgery, incision and excision performed similarly, though they did note reduced pain in the incision group and that complications in the excision group need further exploration.

Although the results did not support his hypothesis, Dr. Hussain said there is still something to be learned from the study. “It’s crucial that this information is published because as we develop more refined answers or solutions to problems, we need to know that we’re doing the right thing. [The research] also leads to more questions that there may be other solutions out there that have yet to be tested, for example, cutting the ulnar side of FDS (flexor digitorum profundus),” he added. “Given that we think excision is not the solution, we may do a further study that looks into whether we should be releasing other structures.”

Dr. Hussain participated in the National Symposium after placing first at the Southeast Region Symposium, one of five symposia co-hosted by OREF around the United States last year. The Hark Family (in memory of Fred Hark, MD, and William Hark, MD), Smith+Nephew, DePuy Synthes, and Zimmer Biomet sponsored the events. Judges ranked and scored the presentations, and the three top-scoring participants from each regional symposium were invited to present again at the national event.

OREF’s Resident Research Symposia provide residents with invaluable opportunities to assemble, socialize, and network with their peers while sharing their research projects. Past participants enthusiastically agree that the symposia are a great experience for all residents, whether competing or watching the presentations.