Fitzpatrick Referrals
Orthopaedics + Neurosurgery

Our Team of Clinicians

We have a team of three orthopaedic surgeons supported by two residents, five interns and a radiographer dedicated exclusively to referrals in orthopaedics and neurosurgery. They are assisted by an extensive support team. We place great emphasis on the importance of communication. Clients are always contacted on the day of intervention and a written report is also sent to the primary care clinician in a timely manner to ensure that they are well informed of any relevant details regarding their clients and their animal friends.

Noel Fitzpatrick Duniv MVB CertVR CertSAO MRCVS - Director

Noel Fitzpatrick qualified as a veterinary surgeon from University College Dublin in 1990, including scholarships at The University of Pennsylvania and The University of Ghent. Following a short period in mixed practice, Noel worked in small animal practice and spent periods at several universities in the UK and USA, attaining certificates in small animal orthopaedics and radiology. In 2008 Noel was appointed the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine in recognition of his contributions to science and teaching. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate by The University of Surrey for his contribution to medical science and has since become a Visiting Professor at The University of Surrey.

He founded Fitzpatrick Referrals in 1997 and currently employs 66 people at his state-of-the art imaging, operative and rehabilitation facility for small animal orthopaedics and neurology in Eashing, Surrey, UK, where the emphasis is on symbiosis of compassion and clinical excellence. His long term goal centers on his “Foundation for One Medicine One Life One Creation”, which has been set up to fund research and education in all spheres of basic and practical bio-sciences and related fields to further the development of medical and surgical devices of translational  benefit for both animals and humans. His lifetime goal is the re-convergence of human and veterinary medical sciences so that each species benefits from association through expeditious cross-pollination of ideas and practice. Salient examples of this paradigm and philosophy are the development of new endo- and exo-limb prostheses for human amputees which could not happen without a clinical veterinary model and new joint re-surfacing and replacement technologies.

Noel is actively involved in bioengineering and the evolution of several new implant and operative systems in the fields of both human and veterinary surgery. He strives to develop and integrate novel techniques and technologies for the benefit of his patients. Such advancements which are unique to Fitzpatrick Referrals include internal and external prostheses for salvaging limbs affected by aggressive cancer or irreparable trauma, stem cell and cartilage transplant technologies, spinal disc replacement and fusion techniques, bio-absorbable implant systems, joint replacements and external skeletal frames for correction of congenital or traumatic bone disorders and for bone regeneration. Some of the technologies employed have featured not just in respected veterinary journals but also on news stations worldwide and even featured in Time magazine. He is Managing Director of his own company OrthoFitz Ltd that was set up with several respected bioengineers and researchers to develop medical devices with translational potential for human and animal patients. His television series “Bionic Vet” is due to air on BBC1 Spring 2010.

In the past decade Noel has conducted research and written papers with several major vet schools in the USA and UK and with several well respected private referral hospitals worldwide. He is the first and only veterinary surgeon ever to have contributed six primary author and one secondary author scientific papers to a single edition of the prestigious journal “Veterinary Surgery” in February 2009. He coordinates and funds collaborative research endeavors, including Masters and Residency programs, with several major universities in the UK and USA, including Univ of Liverpool, Univ of Glasgow, Univ of Cambridge, Tufts University, Univ of Florida, Univ of Davis California, Univ of Wisconsin-Madison and Washington State Univ. He is currently an actively serving member of the Board of the Veterinary Orthopedic Society in the USA. His ethos is firmly anchored in the concept that education and cooperation between bio-engineering, all biological sciences, medical and veterinary science is the only rational way forward and Fitzpatrick Referrals has dedicated all of its profits to fueling this endeavour.

Noel lectures widely both nationally and internationally and has presented scientific abstracts on novel developments in orthopaedics and neurosurgery for fifteen years. He has developed in whole or in part several techniques and devices which now constitute the standard of care for small animal orthopaedics and neurosurgery worldwide. He is the only UK speaker to lecture in the same year at ACVS, AVMA, AVORE, NAVC, VOS and the Veterinary Arthrology Advancement Association in the USA. In Europe, he has presented papers and lectures at ESVOT, BSAVA and BVOA for many years. He won the Best Clinical Research award at the VOS meetings in 2005 and 2006 and in 2007 he conceived and was second author for the project winning the Best Basic Research award at WVOC. In 2009 he has been awarded The Mark S Bloomberg Award for his lecturing in the USA.  He has lectured by invitation at many other human and veterinary surgery conferences in the UK and Europe and has coordinated several surgical training workshops over the past decade in the USA and Europe. In 2009 he was received the prestigious Simon Award from the British Small Animal Veterinary Association in recognition of his outstanding contribution to veterinary surgery.

Noel believes fervently that “all animal guardians should be given all treatment options and that evolution of technique and device must go hand-in-hand with evolution of the acknowledgement that animals are sentient creatures and as such we have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure compassionate care, which is the cornerstone of a civilized society and is integral to our progress as a species. Just because something can be done does not make it the right thing to do – it must be in the interest of each individual patient. Our aim is functional pain-free quality of life for a single patient and if that contributes to advances for all animals and all humans, then that can only be a good thing.” Finally, he believes in an “ethically transparent approach to the financial implications of all surgical advances.” He comments. “whilst it is our responsibility to allow freedom of choice, it is also our responsibility to animal lovers everywhere to be financially responsible and allow them to make the appropriate decision for themselves with their own unique set of circumstances. Money is a means to an end and necessary to make good things happen, but for a dedicated veterinary professional, wealth should never become a goal in itself for its own sake. There are people suffering in poverty, war and pestilence all over the world all of the time – so we must be sure in our hearts that what we are doing for animals in our society is absolutely beyond reproach from an moral perspective. We signed up to our profession as young people with lofty ideals of making life better for animals in our society. That is what I hold on to every minute of every day and I constantly ask the moral and ethical question – is this the very best I can do for this animal and is it the best I can do for the guardians of this animal? If the answer to this very simple question is yes, then a life well spent serving my patients and the lovers of animals everywhere, the educational legacy we leave to our colleagues and students, the awareness of the importance of animals in our world we imbue on the public at large and the contributions we make to the advancement of medicine and surgery for animals and for humans will yield more fulfillment and happiness than monetary wealth or material possession ever could.”

Publications:

Fitzpatrick N and Yeadon R: Algorithm for treatment of developmental diseases of the medial elbow in dogs. Irish Veterinary Journal 61(6): 398-401, 2008

Fitzpatrick N, Lewis D, Cross A: A biomechanical comparison of external skeletal fixation and plating for the stabilization of ilial osteotomies in dogs. Veterinary Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology 21(4): 349-357, 2008

Fitzpatrick N, Smith TJ, O'Riordan J, Yeadon R: Treatment of incomplete ossification of the humeral condyle with autogenous bone grafting techniques. Veterinary Surgery 38(2): 173-184, 2009

Fitzpatrick N, Smith TJ, Evans RB, Yeadon R: Radiographic and arthroscopic findings in the elbow joints of 263 dogs with medial coronoid disease. Veterinary Surgery 38(2): 213-223, 2009

Fitzpatrick N, Smith TJ, Evans RB, O'Riordan J, Yeadon R: Subtotal coronoid ostectomy for treatment of medial coronoid disease in 263 dogs. Veterinary Surgery 38(2): 233-245, 2009

Fitzpatrick N, Yeadon R, Smith TJ: Early clinical experience with osteochondral autograft transfer for treatment of osteochondritis dissecans of the medial humeral condyle in dogs. Veterinary Surgery 38(2): 246-60, 2009

Fitzpatrick N, Yeadon R, Smith T, Schulz K: Techniques of application and initial clinical experience with sliding humeral osteotomy for treatment of medial compartment disease of the canine elbow. Veterinary Surgery 38(2):261-278, 2009

Fitzpatrick N, Yeadon R: Working algorithm for treatment decision making for developmental disease of the medial compartment of the elbow in dogs. Veterinary Surgery 38(2): 285-300, 2009

Smith TJ, Fitzpatrick N, Evans RB, Pead MJ: Measurement of ulnar subtrochlear sclerosis using a percentage scale in labrador retrievers with minimal radiographic signs of periarticular osteophytosis. Veterinary Surgery 38(2): 199-208, 2009

Smith TJ, Fitzpatrick N: Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy in an alpaca. Veterinary Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology. Accepted for publication March 2009.

Fitzpatrick N, Solano MA: Predictive Variables for Complications following TPLO with stifle inspection by arthrotomy in 1000 consecutive dogs. Veterinary Surgery Accepted for publication Jan 2010

Fitzpatrick N, Johnson J, Hayashi K, Girling S, Yeadon R: Tibial Plateau Leveling and Medial Opening Crescentic Osteotomy (TPLMOCO) for treatment of cranial cruciate ligament rupture in dogs with tibia vara. Veterinary Surgery Accepted for publication Jan 2010

Perry K, Fitzpatrick N, Johnson J, Yeadon R: Headless Self-Compressing Cannulated Screw Fixation for Treatment of Radial Carpal Bone Fracture/Fissure in dogs. Veterinary Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology. Accepted for publication Dec 2010

Burton NJ, Perry MJ, Fitzpatrick N, Owen MR:Comparison of bone mineral density in medial coronoid processes of dogs with and without medial coronoid process fragmentation. AJVR, Vol 71, No. 1, January 2010.

Danielson KC, Fitzpatrick N, Muir P, Manley PA: Histomorphometry of fragmented medial coronoid process in dogs: a comparison of affected and normal coronoid processes. Veterinary Surgery 35(6): 501-509, 2006

Innes J, Pettitt R, Comerford E, Fitzpatrick N: Total knee replacement for dogs (Letter to the editor). Veterinary Record 160(9): 312, 2007

Kirkby KA, Lewis DD, Lafuente MP, Radasch RM, Fitzpatrick N, Farese JP, Wheeler JL, Hernandez JA: Management of humeral and femoral fractures in dogs and cats with linear- circular hybrid external skeletal fixators. Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 44(4): 180-197, 2008

Clements DN, Fitzpatrick N, Carter SD, Day PJ: Cartilage gene expression correlates with radiographic severity of canine elbow osteoarthritis. Veterinary Journal 179(2):211-218, 2009

Smith TJ, Fitzpatrick N: Surgical removal of a microchip from a puppy's spinal canal. Veterinary Comparative Orthopedics and Traumatology 22(1): 63-65, 2009

Sarah Girling Bsc BVSc CertSAS MRCVS DECVS - Senior Surgeon

Sarah graduated from Massey University, New Zealand in 1995 and spent 5 years in mixed practice before joining the staff at the University of Liverpool where she held the position of surgical resident and was part of the first UK team to perform total elbow replacements. Sarah gained her certificate in small animal surgery in 2003, and recently the European College of Veterinary Surgeons diploma in surgery (2007).

She is a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery. Sarah has been an active contributor to the orthopaedic and soft tissue surgical training of students and colleagues through continuing education courses run at Liverpool University and with CPD Solutions. Sarah enjoys all aspects of small animal surgery particularly orthopaedics preferring neurological investigation, lameness evaluation, arthroscopy and fracture management.

Michael Hamilton BVM&S CertSAS DipECVS MRCVS - Senior Surgeon

Michael graduated from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh in 1998. After an initial spell in mixed practice he spent four years in small animal practice in London before moving to The University of Cambridge to take up the post of Resident in Small Animal Surgery. During his time at Cambridge he was involved in all aspects of orthopaedic, soft tissue and neurosurgery.

He attained the RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Surgery in 2003 and attained the European College of Veterinary Surgeons Diploma in 2007. He is a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery. Michael’s main interests are complex fracture management, minimally invasive surgical techniques and spinal disease. He has given presentations at various national and international meetings on topics ranging from feline pelvic fractures to the management of canine oral cancer.

Kat Evans BSc(Hons) - Radiographer

Kat trained at the university of Portsmouth centre for Radiographic Education and prior to joining Fitzpatrick Referrals worked for InHealth Group (Vet MRI) as their lead veterinary MRI radiographer. Kat has been instrumental in the training of veterinary MR personnel in the UK and abroad, has developed MR protocols for doctors, vets and radiologists using a large variety of different scanning platforms and remains at the cutting edge of this rapidly developing discipline. Kat has worked in human hospitals for several years as a senior radiographer using both MR and CT modalities and is one of only very few radiographers in the UK with this level of experience in veterinary MRI.