Mr Simon Abram

I am a Consultant Specialist Knee Surgeon in Bristol and a Senior Lecturer in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Bristol. My practice is dedicated exclusively to the knee.

This degree of specialisation allows me to draw on the full range of treatments, both surgical and non-surgical, and to recommend the approach best suited to each individual: whether the underlying problem is a sports injury, an unstable kneecap, a cartilage tear or established arthritis.

Conditions I treat

• Sports and ligament injuries — anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction tailored to the demands of each sport, and complex multi-ligament injury (MCL, PCL, posterolateral corner)
• Meniscal (cartilage) tears — repair, root repair and meniscal transplantation, with preservation of the patient's own meniscus wherever this is achievable
• Cartilage damage — advanced cartilage repair and regenerative techniques
• Patellofemoral conditions — kneecap instability and dislocation, patellofemoral pain, and patellofemoral arthritis
• Knee arthritis — from injection therapy and non-operative management, through joint-preserving osteotomy (realignment) and partial knee replacement, to robotic-assisted total knee replacement

My approach

My first priority is to establish a clear diagnosis and to explain the available options in full. Many knee problems can be managed successfully without an operation, and I will always say so where that is the case. Where further imaging is required, MRI can usually be arranged within a few days, and I work closely with specialist knee physiotherapists so that rehabilitation is planned from the outset rather than considered only after surgery.

Where an operation is appropriate, patients can expect a clear account of what is proposed, what recovery involves and the likely timescale, before any decision is reached. I place considerable value on shared decision-making.

Training and research

I hold a DPhil (PhD) from the University of Oxford and have completed specialist fellowships in Oswestry, Oxford, and Exeter, and a North American travelling fellowship. I am lead author of the UK national guidelines on the management of meniscal injuries and Specialty Editor (Knee) for Bone & Joint Research. My research is published in The Lancet, the British Journal of Sports Medicine and the American Journal of Sports Medicine, and I lead an NIHR-supported musculoskeletal research group in Bristol, working alongside engineers, statisticians and computer scientists to improve the treatment of knee injury and arthritis.

This academic work directly informs my clinical practice, ensuring that the advice I give reflects the best available evidence.

Appointments

I am pleased to see and treat NHS, insured and self-funding patients.

For more information, please visit https://www.simonabram.com/