SUMMARY
Nicholas A. Bedard, M.D., studies outcomes and complications of hip and knee arthroplasty, with particular emphasis on preventing and treating periprosthetic joint infection. Dr. Bedard's research includes primary and revision total joint arthroplasty. He also studies experimental models designed to reproduce clinically relevant infections.
Dr. Bedard's work integrates prospective randomized trials, translational infection models, registry-based studies and large observational data sets. He uses these approaches to evaluate antibiotic prophylaxis, infection prevention and treatment strategies, and modifiable surgical risk factors.
Dr. Bedard also uses administrative claims and registry data in arthroplasty research. He has developed methods to assess the reliability of coded procedural diagnoses to embed randomized clinical trials within the American Joint Replacement Registry. Together, these programs strengthen the evidence used for perioperative decision-making while connecting mechanistic and translational findings to outcomes in clinical populations.
Focus areas
- Periprosthetic joint infection prevention. Dr. Bedard evaluates strategies to reduce the risk of infection after primary total joint arthroplasty. This approach includes the use and duration of antibiotic prophylaxis. Dr. Bedard combines randomized multicenter clinical trials with translational models to determine which preventive approaches can reduce infection while limiting unnecessary antimicrobial exposure.
- Infection treatment and phage therapy. Dr. Bedard uses a clinically representative mouse model of total knee arthroplasty infection to study treatment strategies for established periprosthetic joint infection. He evaluates bacteriophage dose and route of administration to determine how experimental therapies might be improved before broader clinical evaluation.
- Obesity and arthroplasty outcomes. Dr. Bedard examines how obesity influences infection, complications and long-term outcomes after hip and knee replacement. He also studies how body mass index thresholds may affect access to arthroplasty. This approach helps distinguish meaningful surgical risk from policies that may unnecessarily restrict treatment.
- Registry and claims methodology. Dr. Bedard studies whether administrative claims and national registry data accurately characterize diagnoses and outcomes of revision hip and knee arthroplasty. He also develops methods for nesting prospective randomized trials within registry infrastructure. This strategy expands the use of national data systems beyond observational research to include pragmatic clinical trials.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Bedard studies safer ways to prevent infection and improve care after hip and knee replacement. He also studies whether common clinical data accurately show patient outcomes. Dr. Bedard's research may help care teams make better treatment decisions, prevent future complications and improve access to effective joint replacement care.
Professional highlights
- Chair, Nested Trial Subcommittee for the American Joint Replacement Registry, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 2026-present.
- Mayo Clinic:
- Director of Transformative Data, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 2024-present.
- Career Development Award, 2022-2025.
- Principal investigator, career development grant, "Evaluation of Phage Dosing for Periprosthetic Joint Infection Treatment," Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation, 2025-2027.
- Member, The Hip Society, 2026.
- The Knee Society:
- Member, 2025.
- John N. Insall Traveling Fellowship, 2022.
- Principal investigator, Research grant, "Antibiotic Prophylaxis in High-Risk Arthroplasty Patients," Foundations for Arthroplasty Research and Education, 2020-2024.