Elective Orthopaedic Surgery

Elective Orthopaedic Surgery l Trauma Surgery

Knee Surgery l Hip Surgery l Spine Surgery l Foot Surgery

Knee Surgery

I have benefited from formal training in knee arthroscopy and have mastered the use of powered instruments, meniscal repair, knee ligament reconstructions, and fracture fixation techniques.

I have a wide experience of anterior cruciate ligament surgery and have used bone patellar tendon bone and hamstrings fixed by numerous methods. I have been particularly interested in posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and have experience of arthroscopic and single and two incision techniques, and use reconstructions using bone patellar tendon bone, quadriceps tendon, hamstrings and allograft using single and double bundle techniques with or without a ligament augmentation device.

I am also interested in the treatment of complex instabilities of the knee with multiple ligament damage, posterolateral corner damage or in a mal-aligned lower limb requiring proximal tibial osteotomy as part of the treatment of the instability. I have experience of the operative treatment of patellar malalignment, trochlear dysplasia and recurrent dislocations.

I have experience of the treatment of knee osteoarthritis by distal femoral and proximal tibial osteotomies using opening and closing wedge techniques and hemicallatosis by external fixator. For articular cartilage defects I use microfracture or autologous chondrocyte implantation techniques, and am enrolled in the MRC trial of its use for chondral lesions and (in accordance with NICE guidelines) have been allowed to treat local patients and other patients from across the north of England referred to me by Consultants from other hospitals. I have a wide experience of primary and revision knee arthroplasty and am familiar with a number of cemented and cementless systems and also have experience of the various salvage procedures for failed revisions including fusion using bone graft and long intramedullary nailing, external fixation or above knee amputation and prosthetic management.

Hip Surgery

I have been trained in primary arthroplasty of the hip and have used a number of cemented, cementless, and hybrid systems. During my training I gained much experience in revision surgery for aseptic and infected loosening, and the management of periprosthetic fractures. I have learned techniques to manage acetabular and femoral bony deficiencies. I have assisted at proximal femoral osteotomies for the management of osteoarthritis, and carried out Ficat decompression for early avascular necrosis.

Spine Surgery

I have had exposure to elective spinal surgery both during the pre-fellowship neurosurgical attachment, in Raigmore Hospital and during my attachment to the Tayside Regional Spinal Surgery Unit. I have carried out cervical and lumbar prolapsed disc and spinal decompression surgery, and have experience of cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine fusions. My current practice with neck and back pain is limited to the assessment, investigation, diagnosis and conservative management of these problems. For the 3% of patients who fail conservative, non-operative treatment I would refer them onto my Consultant Spine Surgery Colleagues.

Foot Surgery

I have treated problems of the foot and ankle by orthotic and operative means including surgical management of common problems of the forefoot such as painful bunions, hallux valgus, hallux rigidus and hammer toe deformities.