Research projects
Arthroplasty registries
As part of my PhD research into the history of Oxford Knee™ I became intrigued by the current measure of success within the arthroplasty industry and how it reflects on the best outcome for the patient. When choosing the best device for a patient, surgeons depend on personal experience and clinical research, but most often, they rely on the arthroplasty registries and its measure of success – the revision rate. In 2024 I was awarded the MHCUK Early Career Medical Humanities Fellowship to continue my research into arthroplasty registries.
Surgical guide tools
My research explores the history of surgical technology in orthopaedics, with a particular focus on surgical guide tools used in arthroplasty. In joint replacement procedures, surgical guide tools are essential for ensuring the precise alignment and positioning of medical implants, directly impacting surgical outcomes and patient recovery. While historians have extensively studied surgical instruments, surgical guide tools have received comparatively little attention, likely due to their highly specialized application in orthopaedics and their less visible role in other surgical fields. My work seeks to uncover the development, evolution, and critical role of these tools within medical history, highlighting their influence on both clinical practices and the advancement of surgical precision.
Oxford Knee™
My PhD thesis “Inventing the ‘Oxford Knee™’: the development of partial knee replacement surgery, 1966-2009” looked at the history of the partial knee device the Oxford Knee. According to its manufacturer, Zimmer-Biomet, the Oxford Knee is one of the world’s most widely used and clinically proven partial knee replacements. The Oxford Knee prosthesis was the first partial implant with an artificial meniscal bearing designed to glide freely throughout the knee’s range of motion, more closely replicating the normal movement of a typical knee joint.
