SUMMARY
Charles P. Hannon, M.D., M.B.A., is an orthopedic surgeon and clinical trialist whose research addresses evidence gaps that persist in hip and knee arthroplasty. A central premise of Dr. Hannon's work is that much of contemporary arthroplasty practice rests on convention rather than prospective evidence. His trials are designed to subject those conventions to rigorous testing. Dr. Hannon develops and leads randomized controlled trials evaluating perioperative pharmacological interventions, implant fixation and surgical technique.
Dr. Hannon's research methodology focuses on granular longitudinal data, including daily remote patient monitoring, wearable sensor-derived kinematics and patient-reported outcomes. These approaches characterize the early recovery trajectory after arthroplasty at a resolution that conventional follow-up intervals cannot capture. Dr. Hannon uses institutional cohorts and national registry data to define the epidemiology, risk factors and long-term outcomes of revision arthroplasty, periprosthetic joint infection and periprosthetic fracture.
Dr. Hannon translates these findings into clinical practice guidelines, appropriate use criteria and performance measures through leadership roles in national orthopedic organizations. He is building multicenter trial infrastructure intended to make high-quality randomized evidence in orthopedic surgery routine rather than exceptional.
Focus areas
- Clinical trials in hip and knee arthroplasty. Dr. Hannon designs and leads randomized controlled trials that address questions encountered daily in arthroplasty practice that have never been studied prospectively. He was the principal investigator on multicenter dose-finding and comparative effectiveness trials. Dr. Hannon also helps direct a National Institutes of Health-funded center supporting clinical research in arthroplasty.
- Perioperative care, pain management and opioid stewardship. Dr. Hannon investigates how to control pain and inflammation after arthroplasty while minimizing opioid exposure. His work includes corticosteroid dose finding, multimodal analgesic regimens and risk-adjusted opioid prescribing. He has co-led committees for multisociety guidelines on anesthesia and analgesia in arthroplasty.
- Rapid recovery and enabling technology.Using daily remote patient monitoring, wearable sensors and patient-reported outcomes, Dr. Hannon models recovery at a resolution that conventional follow-up cannot capture. He applies these methods to determine whether robotic assistance and alternative fixation genuinely improve recovery and surgical accuracy and reduce cost.
- Revision arthroplasty and complex reconstruction. Dr. Hannon studies why arthroplasties fail and how failures are best treated, with an emphasis on periprosthetic joint infection, periprosthetic fracture and severe bone loss. Institutional cohorts and national registry data define survivorship of modern revision constructs and the factors predicting reoperation.
- Evidence-based practice, registries and value in arthroplasty. Dr. Hannon develops clinical practice guidelines, appropriate use criteria and performance measures for national orthopedic organizations. Related health services research examines registry participation, episode costs and reimbursement trends. This approach shapes how evidence, appropriateness and value are defined in arthroplasty.
Significance to patient care
Most people who have hip or knee replacement want less pain, a faster return to regular activities and no need for another surgery. Dr. Hannon studies these goals in patients. His clinical trials compare real alternatives, such as which pain medications work best and how many opioid pills patients need after surgery. Other studies follow patients each day to learn what helps them recover faster.
Dr. Hannon also studies why some joint replacements do not work so that the resulting issues can be prevented or treated more effectively. His findings help shape national guidelines, allowing his research to benefit patients beyond Mayo Clinic.
Professional highlights
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
- Chair, Committee on Evidence-Based Quality and Value, 2026-present.
- Member, Registry Oversight Committee, 2026-present.
- Co-chair, Clinical Practice Guideline on Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip, 2022-2025.
- Co-investigator, Core Center for Clinical Research in Total Joint Arthroplasty, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, 2025-present.
- Mayo Clinic:
- Chair, Clinical trials, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 2024-present.
- Career Development Award in Orthopedics for research on individualized opioid prescribing after arthroplasty, Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science, 2024.
- American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons:
- Chair, Evidence-Based Medicine Committee, 2024-present.
- James A. Rand Young Investigator's Award, 2018, 2024.
- Chitranjan S. Ranawat Award, The Knee Society, 2022.
- Co-chair, Clinical Practice Guideline Workgroup on Anesthesia and Analgesia in Total Joint Arthroplasty, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, with guidelines developed in collaboration with the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Hip Society and Knee Society, 2018-2022.