About
Consultant Orthopaedic Shoulder Surgeon
I have a broad training in the generality of trauma and orthopaedic surgery and specialist interest in all aspects of shoulder surgery. Following undergraduate medical school training at St Mary's Hospital, part of Imperial College, I completed house jobs in London. Having demonstrated anatomy back at St Mary's Medical School I took up a first orthopaedic post in Bath and then rotated through the basic surgical training scheme in Bristol. Having successfully gained Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS Eng) I went to rural South Africa to work in an orthopaedic hospital in the Transkei town Umtata with the support of World Orthopaedic Concern. Here I had experience dealing with neglected and late presenting trauma, gunshot and machete wounds, musculoskeletal infections and classic children's orthopaedic conditions. On my return I was appointed to the Bristol-based higher surgical registrar training rotation in 1999. I passed the final fellowship FRCS Tr & Orth in 2003 before undertaking specialist shoulder fellowship training in Australia and South Africa in 2004. Under the tutelage of Mr Simon Bell at the Melbourne Shoulder & Elbow Clinic and Dr Joe de Beer at the Cape Shoulder Institute in Cape Town, South Africa I developed my open and arthroscopic surgical skills with exposure to a wide range of sports injuries in the professional and amateur populations. Specialist training included the full range of operations for the rotator cuff, shoulder replacements and the use of ultrasound scanning for diagnostics and treatment. In 2005 I was appointed as a Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon at North Bristol NHS Trust where I continue my NHS practice at the new Southmead Hospital. I am the Upper Limb lead consultant and work alongside colleagues in the team based on call rota for the regional Major Trauma Centre. For over five years I chaired the South West & South Wales Shoulder and Elbow Group which is a robust forum for peer review and critical appraisal. As a founding director of Bristol Shoulder Specialists I work closely with my shoulder surgeon colleagues locally undertaking regular Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings, clinical audit and governance as well as local peer review. My major interests are shoulder replacements for arthritis and the treatment of sports injuries particularly the dislocating shoulder.
Teaching
I have always had an interest in teaching and training and have maintained a strong portfolio. As well as continuous involvement in audit and supervision of quality improvement projects I have always been involved in research and have several publications in peer-reviewed journals as listed opposite.
In my early years as a doctor after primary qualification I demonstrated anatomy to undergraduate medical students. In 2006 I was awarded the Postgraduate Certificate of Medical Education (PGCME) from the University of Bristol.
Between 2008 and 2012 I was the postgraduate tutor for orthopaedics running the formal registrar teaching programme. For over 5 years from 2012, I was the Training Programme Director for the 60 strong registrar training rotation for the Severn Deanery of Health Education England South West. I continue as an Educational Supervisor for trainees at all levels.
From 2015 to 2022 I was a member of the national selection design group for recruitment of orthopaedic registrars chairing the group and leading National Recruitment for the last 3 years. In 2017 I was appointed to the Specialty Advisory Committee (SAC) for Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery and was the liaison member for the Republic of Ireland providing externality for their training programme.
I have organised and convened numerous courses and study days at the Vesalius Centre for Comparative Anatomy at the University of Bristol and at a variety of locations for the Sport & Orthopaedic Clinic. I have been faculty on courses such as the Watanabe Shoulder Course, Shoulder2Shoulder, the Wrightington Tricks and Tips shoulder course and the Lima Stemless Shoulder Arthroplasty course.
Orthoracle is an online e-learning Orthopaedic Surgery Atlas and for the last two years I have been a sub-editor contributing with several cases of shoulder operations. This powerful resource provides in-depth written commentary and annotations on the individual steps of each operation with high resolution intra-operative surgical photographs. It is a valuable source of continuing professional development for both experienced orthopaedic surgeons and surgeons in training.
Publications
- National Selection to T&O ST3 posts in England 2020 and 2021
Mark A.A. Crowther
Journal of Trauma & Orthopaedics, September 2021
- Olecranon fractures in the elderly during Covid-19 pandemic: Is non-operative treatment reasonable? Review of the current evidence
Amir Abdelmalek, Mark Crowther
Musculoskeletal Surgery
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12306-021-00699-7
- Reducing unnecessary fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures
Nicholas Murray, Tobias Johnson, Iain N Packham, Mark A A Crowther, Tim J Chesser
European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology, August 2021
https://doi.org/10.1007/200590-021-03107-9
- Predictors of Mortality Following Shoulder Arthroplasty
Dacombe P, Harries L, McCann P, Crowther M, Packham I, Sarangi P, Whitehouse M.
Journal of Orthopaedics, volume 22, November -December 2020 pp179-183
- Medium-term rates of radiolucency after primary total shoulder arthroplasty using a cementless metal-backed pegged polyethylene glenoid
Murray N, Al-Hourani K, McCann P, Sarangi P, Crowther M
Shoulder & Elbow - first published 13 March 2020
https://doi.org/10.1177/1758573219901122
- Predictors of Length of Stay Following Shoulder Arthroplasty in a High-Volume UK Centre
Dacombe P, Harries L, McCann P, Crowther M, Packham I, Sarangi P, Whitehouse M.
Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2020 Apr 17:1-6. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2020.0052. Online ahead of print. PMID: 32302224
- Short term rates of radiolucency after primary total shoulder arthroplasty using a cementless metal-backed pegged polyethylene glenoid
Al-Hourani, Khalid; Smith, James; Crowther, Mark; Sarangi, Partha; McCann, Philip
Shoulder & Elbow - first published 6 August 2018
https://doi.org/10.1177/1758573218789339
- Blood Transfusion Rates following Shoulder Arthroplasty in a high volume UK centre and analysis of rick factors associated with Transfusion
Dacombe P, Kendal J, McCann P, Sarangi P, Packham I, Whitehouse M, Crowther M
Shoulder & Elbow 2019, Vol 11(2S) 67-72
- The Clavicle Trial: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Operative with Nonoperative Treatment of Displaced Midshaft Clavicle Fractures
Ahrens Philip, Garlick Nicholas, Barber Julie, Tims Emily and The Clavicle Trial Collaborative Group (inc Crowther Mark)
JBJS (Am) 16 August 2017 Vol 99 Issue 16 p 1345-1354
- Ask an expert: Shoulder Pain
- Richard Murphy, Iain Packham, Mark Crowther
BMJ Learning. learning.bmj.com March 2017
- The management of bilateral posterior fracture dislocations of the shoulder: a case series illustrating management options Harpal S Uppal, Peter W Robinson, Iain N Packham, Mark A.A. Crowther
Shoulder & Elbow, vol. 8, 2: pp. 111-117. First published January 25, 2016.
- Open Reduction and Plate Fixation Versus Nonoperative Treatment for Displaced Midshaft Clavicular Fractures: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial
CM Robinson, EB Goudie, IR Murray, PJ Jenkins, MA Ahktar, EO Read, CJ Foster, K Clark, AJ Brooksbank, A Arthur, MAA Crowther, IN Packham, TJ Chesser
J Bone Joint Surg Am, 2013 Sep 04;95(17):1576-1584
- First time traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation: A review of current management.
Smith GC, Chesser TJS, Packham IN, Crowther MAA
Injury Vol 44, Issue 4, Pages 406-408 (April 2013)
- Blockade of the suprascapular nerve: a radiological and cadaveric study comparing landmark and ultrasound-guided blocking techniques
Lancaster S, Clark D, Redpath Y, Hughes D, Crowther M, Lewis S
Shoulder & Elbow vol 5, issue 3, pg 173-177 (July 2013)
- Conservative management versus open reduction and internal fixation for mid-shaft clavicle fractures in adults – the Clavicle Trial: study protocol for a multicentre randomized controlled trial.
Longo UG, Banerjee S, Barber J, Chambler A, Cobiella C, Corbett S, Crowther M, Drew S, Francis A, Lee M, Garlick N, Packham I, Pearse Y, Richards A, Roberts C, Tennent D, Tims E, Ahrens PM.
Trials. 2011 Feb 28; 12:57
- Beware of glenoid dysplasia mimicking bone trauma in the injured shoulder.
Seagger RM, Loveridge J, Crowther MAA. North Bristol NHS Trust
Int J Shoulder Surg 2009;3:37-40
- Neuropathic shoulder in syringomyelia treated with resurfacing arthroplasty of humeral head and soft-tissue lining of glenoid: A case report
Crowther MAA, Bell SN. Melbourne Shoulder & Elbow Centre, Australia
Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery; November 2007 (Vol. 16, Issue 6, Pages e38-e40)
- Beware the cast syndrome
Crowther MAA
Orthopaedics International (Fracture) March 2005; 2: 13-14
- Propagation of Stress Fracture of the Patella
Crowther MAA, Mandal A, Sarangi PP. Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Br J Sports Med, Feb 2005; 39: e6
- Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome following surgery for scoliosis
Crowther MAA, Webb PJ, Eyre-Brook IA. Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton.
Spine; Vol 27, No 24, E528-533. 15 December 2002
- A prospective randomised study to compare Extracorporal Shockwave Therapy and Steroid Injection in the treatment of tennis elbow.
Crowther MAA, Huma H, Rooker GD, Bannister GC. Cheltenham General Hospital and Southmead Hospital, Bristol.
Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery [Br] 2002; 84-B; 678-9
Published review as Patient-Orientated Evidence that Matters (POEMs) BMJ 2002; 325. 14 December 2002
- The effect of legislation on discharge from hospital of patients with proximal femoral fractures 1990-1997.
Crowther MAA, Bannister GC, Dixon JH. Southmead & Weston General Hospital.
Hip International/ Vol. 9 no. 3, 1999 / pp 148-150
- Auditing the preoperative assessment of colorectal cancer patients: are we achieving the guidelines?
Davies RJ, Crowther MAA, Longman RJ, Durdey P and Thomas MG. Bristol Royal Infirmary.
Annals of the Royal College, September 1998.
- Trauma and Orthopaedics in the Transkei
Crowther MAA
World Orthopaedic Concern, Issue No 75 May 1998