Professor Michael McNicholas

Practising at

Spire Cheshire Hospital

Treatment information

Some of the principal treatments carried out by Professor Michael McNicholas at Spire include:

Orthopaedics

• Articular cartilage repair (MACI)
• Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)
• High tibial osteotomy
• Joint pain treatment (joint injections)
• Joint manipulation treatment
• Knee arthroscopy surgery
• Knee replacement
• Knee ligament surgery
• Pain management
• Patello femoral replacement
• Signature knee replacement
• Unicompartmental knee replacement

Other treatments

Professional profile

I was trained in St Andrews, Manchester, Dundee, Inverness and Edinburgh. I was appointed as a consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon in 2001 to Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. My clinical practice covers all aspects of adult musculoskeletal disorder with particular emphasis on knee surgery, arthroscopy and ligament reconstruction of the knee, sports injuries and knee joint replacement. I have participated in studies comparing different techniques of articular cartilage resurfacing, the active trial and the summit trial. My continued interest in sports medicine has been recognised by election, without examination, as a Fellow of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.

I am involved in international collaborative clinical and basic science research, mainly related to knee disorders and have won awards for this. I have also studied outcomes of meniscus repair, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, multiple ligament reconstruction, hip and knee replacements, including their effect on return to golfing.

In the last 15 years I have performed over 1,000 knee replacement procedures, 6,000 arthroscopies and 1,500 ACL's*. *Figures correct May 2016.

I teach on courses for orthopaedic surgeons in trauma surgery, arthroscopic surgery, ligament reconstruction of the knee and hip and knee replacement surgery. I have been awarded an honorary professorship by the directorate of sport at the University of Salford. This was in recognition of our continued successful collaborations in research and teaching on the rehabilitation of injured sportsmen and women.

I am an honorary professor, directorate of sport – University of Salford. I am also a member of the National Ligament Registry Steering Committee, promoting better outcomes data for anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions.

I am regularly invited to teach at national and international meetings, training juniors and other consultants on arthroscopic surgery, ligament reconstruction, knee replacement and trauma surgery. I have been an honorary senior lecturer, Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, at the Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool since August 2014 and I have held an honorary professorship at the directorate of Sport School of Health Care of the University of Salford since January 2006. I am an associate editor of the journal of orthopaedic trauma and a reviewer for the Medical Research Council, the bone and joint journal and The British Medical Journal.

The Mersey regional training rotation nominated me as trainer of the year in 2012. I am a faculty for train the trainer, training assessment in the clinical environment and advanced arthroscopy courses of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Media Coverage

Me and my operation: How a tiny toggle put the bounce back in my knees
June 2011

Qualification and professional memberships

BSc / University of St Andrews / 1986
Bachelor of Science

MB ChB / University of Manchester / 1989
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery

FRCS / Edinburgh / 1994
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons

FRCS / Glasgow / 1994
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons

FRCSEd (Tr and Orth) / Nottingham / 2000
Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons

MD / University of Dundee / 2000
Doctor of Medicine

Professional memberships

British Orthopaedic Research Society
British Orthopaedic Association
British Association of Surgery of the Knee
International Cartilage Repair Society
International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
The Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
British Medical Association
Dance UK Medical Practitioners Directory

Professional leadership

National Ligament Registry Steering Committee
Honorary Professor, Directorate of Sport – University of Salford

Current NHS posts

Consultant Trauma and Soft Tissue Knee Surgeon, Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
Honorary Professor, Directorate of Sport, University of Salford
Honorary Senior Lecturer, Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, University of Liverpool

Research and Publication

The aetiology biomechanics, biochemistry, conservative and surgical treatments of osteoarthritis and articular cartilage defects in the knee, meniscectomy, knee instability, outcome in hip and knee replacement and orthopaedic and sports medicine aspects of golf.

My current research interests include; stem cell applications in knee injury, outcomes following arthroplasty, ligament reconstruction, osteotomy, the treatment of focal articular cartilage defects and early arthritis using novel implants. I also focuses great interest on outcomes for complex trauma of the lower limb, such as high energy fractures treated by Ilizarov external fixation frames, multi ligament injuries and dislocations of the knee and the surgical treatment of gunshot wounds.

I have been involved in writing in a number of medical journals from 1998 - 2016.

Articles

I have helped write the ATACC, BTACC and GMP BTACC NPIA D13 and D13 enhanced manuals

Personal Profile

I am married to Tracey and we have six children. My other main interest outside medicine is sport. I played water polo for Warrington and regularly run, swim and occasionally play golf. I am a St Andrew's University blue in swimming and water polo and Manchester University half maroon in water polo. I have college and university colours in volleyball. I have played rugby for my medical schools and combined Manchester Hospitals and for Madras FP RUFC.

Private contact details