Language fluency: English
SECONDARY EDUCATION
September 1970 - July 1977 : The Bluecoat School, Liverpool
UNIVERSITY
October 1977 - June 1982 : University of Sheffield Medical School
ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
MB ChB University of Sheffield , June 1982
FRCS England, May 1986
FRCS Edinburgh, June 1986
MD Sheffield University, November 1991
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
A.T.L.S. Provider Certificate, October 1990
A.T.L.S. Instructor Certificate, June 1991
HONOURS OR AWARDS
January 1990 : Richards Research and Travel Awards
April 1991 : BOA/BOTA Howmedica Travelling Scholarship
January 1992 : Richards Research and Travel Awards
Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1992 : WJ Lytle Travelling Fellowship
Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1992 : Porritt Fellowship
Poster Prize, May 1998 : Society of Sports Traumatolgy, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy
PREVIOUS POST
Consultant in Sports Trauma, The Sheffield Centre of Sports Medicine
2000 - 2002
TEACHING
I have developed a reputation in the management of soft tissue traumatic knee disorders that are in the main sports related. As a result, I am frequently asked to address both national and international meetings on a variety of topics, in particular, ligament reconstruction surgery. I am also heavily involved in teaching on instructional courses on knee surgery at a national level. I am a member of a small group of knee surgeons who, under the auspices of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, have developed instructional courses in basic, intermediate and advanced arthroscopic surgery and knee arthroplasty which act as a blue-print for courses used in national training centres.
While on the staff at the Northern General Hospital, I obtained £30,000/annum from Johnson and Johnson Orthopaedics to support a fellow in knee surgery. The fellowship was designed to provide a high level of training in knee surgery and related research. Further fellowships will be offered at the Sheffield Centre of Sports Medicine.
In 2000 I convened a number of educational or scientific meetings including the British Association of Surgery to the Knee (BASK) Spring Meeting in Sheffield and a national seminar on knee osteotomy including live surgery, again in Sheffield. As the Educational Secretary for the British Association of Knee Surgery I organise the arthroscopy and arthroplasty courses at the Royal College of Surgeons.
I have also acted as a tutor for two MChOrth theses and as external examiner for a thesis from Bristol University.
RESEARCH
My main area of research is in knee biomechanics and I am currently involved in a study with the Department of Medical Physics in the Faculty of Medicine. We have made progress in forming finite element analysis (FEA) models of the knee utilising MRI data. The original concept was to produce an artificial meniscal but it is becoming clear that the FEA model has many more applications in testing a variety of prosthesis used in reconstruction. In 1998, the project attracted a grant of 200,000 ECU from the European Union, £83,000 of which was used to fund a Lecturer in Orthopaedic Surgery in full time research and will lead to an MD thesis. As a result of this initial work, the model is already used in the automotive industry to test knee impact trauma. We were then asked to join in further collaborative research into the medical application of FEA with NEC, again funded by the EU. The overall funding for the project was 5,000,000 ECU of which we have 500,000 ECU (£350,000) to fund the next three years research. We have also asked Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics to join us as industry partners.
Work is also progressing in producing a virtual reality model to use in teaching arthroscpic surgery again with the Department of Medical Physics and in collaboration with Imperial College London and Warwick University. This work has been supported by a grant of £540,000 from EPSRC in addition to the permanent loan of approximately £20,000 worth of arthroscopic equipment from Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics. The model is currently being used in the Royal College of Surgeons of London basic arthroscopy courses and we were invited to speak at the European Society of Sports Traumatolgy, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) meeting in London in September, 2000.
I am also involved in a study with Department of Human Metabolism and Clinical Biochemistry and the Department of Materials at Sheffield University into collagen engineering which complements the above FEA study. We are awaiting the results of a grant application for £500,000.
I have completed a project on the anatomy and function of structures in the poster-lateral aspect of the knee. This work formed the basis of a successful MCh Orth thesis on which I acted as supervisor. The work was presented at the 8th Congress of the European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy and won the best poster prize. The work attracted a grant of £2,750.
In collaboration with the Department of Rheumatology and Department of Human Metabolism and Clinical Biochemistry I was involved in a study into articular cartilage markers of osteo-arthritis following ACL injury. This work will form the basis for an MD thesis and further grant applications to continue the study.
I have recently developed a new method of tibial fixation in PCL reconstruction surgery with Arthrex, an orthopaedic instrument manufacturer. This is undergoing laboratory studies to evaluate pull out strength with the financial support of the company.
Other more clinically based studies include:
Faradic stimulation in ACL rehabilitation.
The role of CT imaging and the use of a patellar brace for patella maltracking.
Tunnel widening in ACL surgery
Review of ACL revision surgery
Audit of day-case ACL surgery
Review of Elmslie Trillat osteotomies
There are a number of other smaller research and audit topics also underway.