New publication highlights progress in improving recovery after flap surgery

Posted on Thursday 3rd September 2026

Research supported by a Hopkins Centre Seed Grant is continuing to build knowledge about recovery after flap surgery for people with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D), with a second publication from the project now available.

The project, Complications of post-flap surgery in people with spinal cord injury, led by Dr Evgeniya Zakharova-Luneva, is exploring how complications following pressure injury surgery can affect recovery and rehabilitation.

A team of Hopkins Centre researchers and clinicians —
Dr Evgeniya Zakharova-Luneva, Dr Letitia Burridge, Dr Christy Hogan, Jo-anne Kemp, Darren Meyers, Kylie Rixon and Prof. Timothy Geraghty—authored the second paper.

Pressure injuries can be a serious health issue for people with SCI/D. When surgery is needed, recovery can involve weeks of bed rest and a gradual return to sitting and everyday activities. Complications can make this process even longer and more difficult.

The new publication adds to the findings from the project's first research paper, helping build a clearer picture of the challenges people can experience following flap surgery and how care and rehabilitation can be improved. Importantly, the project is focused not just on research, but on putting this knowledge into practice.

Findings have contributed to the development of a Flap Surgery Clinical Pathway, co-designed with people with lived experience and clinicians. The pathway is being used within the Queensland
Spinal Cord Injuries Service to support more consistent, evidence-informed care.

The project has also produced consumer-friendly resources and shared its findings with the wider rehabilitation community through national conferences.

Together, these outcomes demonstrate the value of Hopkins Centre Seed Grants in supporting research that responds to real-world challenges and can lead to practical improvements in care.

Citation: Zakharova-Luneva, E., Burridge, L., Hogan, C., Kemp, J. anne, Meyers, D., Rixon, K., & Geraghty, T. (2026). Navigating recovery after flap repair for pressure injury in spinal cord injury/disorder: lived experience and clinician perspectives on complications, resilience, and care models. Disability and Rehabilitation, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2026.2723374