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

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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.