Mr. Rathnam Obli Sundaram MB ChB, BSc(Hons), MRCSEd, FRCSEd(Tr&Orth)

I am Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon with a special interest in Spinal disorders and surgery at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

I am also the Clinical Governance Lead for Trauma & Orthopaedics at the Trust.

I enjoy practising privileges at the Gloucester Winfield and Cheltenham & Gloucester Nuffield Hospitals and at the Cobalt Unit, Linton House Cheltenham.

Curriculum Vitae

  • Personal Details

    Name

    Rathnam Obli SUNDARAM

    Nationality

    British

    Sex

    Male

    GCM Registration

    GMC Number 4552116

    Specialist Societies

    Medical Defence Union – 351130F
    British Orthopaedic Association – 16999
    AO Spine
    British Association of Spinal Surgeons
    American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
    British Association of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

    Qualifications

    Specialist Register March 2010
    CCT Trauma & Orthopaedics February 2010
    FRCSEd (Tr&Orth) May 2008
    MRCSEd – September 2001
    MBChB – 1998
    BSc (Hons) class II(i) in Biochemistry – 1995
    ATLS Qualified Instructor – September 2006

    Medical Education

    MBChB: University of Leeds, 1992 – 1998
    Intercalated BSc: University of Leeds, 1994 – 1995
  • Scholarships Prizes and Awards
    • Depuy International Research Award – 2003
    • Medial School Scholarship – 1994
    • Smith and Nephew Foundation Intercalated BSc Bursary Award – 1994
    • I have been awarded honours in the following subjects for the degree MBChB:- Anatomy, Behavioural Sciences, Biochemistry, Integrated Medial Topics, Laboratory and Scientific Medicine and Pharmacology
  • Employment & Experience

    Present Post commenced 1st September 2010

    Employment

    I am Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon with a special interest in Spinal disorders and surgery at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

    I am also the Clinical Governance Lead for Trauma & Orthopaedics at the Trust.

    I enjoy practising privileges at the Gloucester Winfield and Cheltenham & Gloucester Nuffield Hospitals and at the Cobalt Unit, Linton House Cheltenham.

    Experience

    I have good clinical and operative experience in general orthopaedics and trauma, averaging approximately 250 trauma, orthopaedic and spinal surgical cases per year as a Consultant.

    I have experience in the following spinal procedures:-  Caudal epidural, facet joint injections, nerve root injections, lumbar discograms, lumbar decompression, Wallis Stabilization, lumbar discectomy, Dynesys, Postero-lateral fusion, Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion, Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, anterior and posterior cervical decompression and fusion, lumbar disc replacement, cervical disc replacement, Vertebroplasty, Kyphoplasty, anterior and posterior scoliosis surgery.  Anterior and posterior spinal trauma and tumour stabilization surgery.

    I have regularly published in peer review journals, presented at national and international meetings and performed audit.

    I am a fully qualified ATLS instructor and enjoy teaching the ATLS philosophy. I teach annually on the ATLS course here at Cheltenham.

    I regularly teach medical students senior house officers and specialist registrars.

  • Previous Appointments
    • Spinal Fellow – Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, February – August 2010
    • Spinal Fellow – Queens Centre Nottingham, April 2009 – February 2010
    • Specialist Registrar – Mersey Deanery, February 2010 – April 2009
    • Depuy Clinical Research Fellow, Wirral, February 2003 – February 2004
    • Senior House Officer – Mersey Deanery, August 1999 – February 2003
    • Junior House Officer – St James’s Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary, August 1998–August 1999
  • Professional Courses
    • Biomet Challenges in the Aging spine – Madrid June 2012
    • Synthes Anterior Spine Surgery Course – Nottingham June 2012
    • Stanmore Fooot and Ankle Course – Stanmore May 2012
    • Depuy, Cervical Spine Course – Barcelona March 2012
    • Stryker Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery – Coventry February 2012
    • Medicology Clinical Governance Course – Bristol November 2011
    • BOFAS – Windsor November 2011
    • Depuy Lumbar Surgery Course – Barcelona June 2011
    • Specialist Info Medicolegal Course – Birmingham April 2011
    • Biomet Spinal Deformity Course – Orlando March 2011
    • Medtronic Spinal Deformity Course – Leiden January 2011
    • Stryker Kyphoplasty and Rhizolysis course – Oxford December 2010
    • Medtronic Vertebroplasty Course-Leiden January 2010
    • Scient’x Cervical Arthroplasty Course-Nottingham December 2009
    • Clinical Management and Leadership – Keele October 2009
    • AAOS Spine – Las Vegas February 2009
    • Basic Spine Instrumentation Course – Newcastle February 2009
    • Foot & Ankle Course – Oswestry December 2006
    • AO Spine Trauma Course – Manchester May 2006
    • ATLS Instructors Course – RCS England May 2006
    • ATLS Course and exam – Bangor October 2005
    • Exeter Hip Symposium – Liverpool May 2005
    • Basic Hip Arthroplasty Course – Warrington March 2005
    • Basic Hip Arthroplasty – Stanmore November 2003
    • Basic Knee Arthroplasty – Stanmore October 2003
    • Hoffman External Fixation course – Wrightington May 2003
    • Basic Arthroscopy Course – RCS England January 2003
    • Basic AO Principles of fracture management Course – Leeds July 2002
    • 7th Orthopaedic Fracture Management Course – Leicester November 2001
    • Care of Critically ill Surgical Patient – Liverpool September 2000
    • Basic Surgical Skills Course – Liverpool September 1999
    • ALS course and exam – Leeds November 1998

     

  • Activities and Interests

    I am a keen sportsman; my main sport is tennis. I have reached national level tennis at a junior level and represented Leeds University as number one player. I have coached my younger brother in tennis who has excelled to an international level. I have performed in Athletics and Basketball as a junior and have won regional competitions in both. I continue enjoying playing sports, such as tennis, running and gymnasium activities. I also now enjoy hiking.

    I have done a considerable amount of orthopaedic research and have had over 50 papers, abstracts and presentations published. You may be interested in some of the selected publications below.

  • Publications

    I am an invited reviewer for the Medline-linked peer review journal Acta Orthopaedica.

    1. A Clarke, E Mclaren, A Jones, M O’Malley. ABC of Spinal Disorders Publication date: January 2010. Book Chapter: Sciatica, Stenosis and Spondylolisthesis. A Helm, RO Sundaram, M O’Malley.
    2. Sivaraman S, Sundaram RO, Chandran P, O’Malley M, Shackleford IM. Cauda Equina Syndrome without Cauda Compression, a report of 2 cases.  European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology 2008; 8:303-306.Case report.
    3. Sundaram RO, Ramakrishnan M, Harvey RA, Parkinson RW.  What do patients actually think of their knee replacement scar and the surrounding hypoaesthesia?The Knee 2007; 14:375-378.  Journal Article.
    4. Shah NH, Sundaram RO, Velusamy A, Braithwaite IJ.  5 Year Functional Outcome Analysis of Ankle Fracture Fixation.  Injury 2007; 38: 1308-1312.Journal Article.
    5. Sundaram RO, Parkinson RW.  Closed suction drains do not increase the blood transfusion rates in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.International Orthopaedics 2007; 31: 613-616.  Journal Article.
    6. Sundaram RO, Parkinson RW.  Universal precaution compliance by orthopaedic trauma team members in a major trauma resuscitation scenario.  Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2007; 89: 262-267. Journal Article.
    7. Sundaram RO, Cohen D, Barton-Hanson N.  Tibial Plateau Fracture following Gracillis-Semitendinous Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction:- The tibial tunnel stress-riser.  Knee 2006; 13: 238-240. Case report.
    8. Sundaram RO, Walsh HPJ.  Amputation of a crossover 2nd toe in the presence of hallux valgus.  The Foot 2003; 13:196-8.  Journal Article.
    9. Sundaram RO.  Total Hip Replacement.  Ann R Coll Surg Eng 2002; 84: 286.  Review.
    10. Sundaram RO, Juma A, Dhital SK.  An Aid to Flap Design in Scalp Surgery.  British Journal of Plastic Surgery 2002; 55: 365.  Technical Innovation.
  • Presentations

    This is a list of some of the presentations I have given.

    1. Sundaram RO, Schratt W, Hegarty J, Whynes D, Grevitt MP.
      Cost utility analysis of lumbar disc replacement vs circumferential fusion.
      • North American Spine Society, 5th-9th October 2010, Orlando, US
      • Britspine 2010, 28th-30th April 2010, Liverpool, UK
    2. Sundaram RO, Saville P, Jehan S, Boszczyk B.
      Trans-sacral screw fixation for sacral fractures. Is there a safe zone?
      • North American Spine Society, 5th-9th October 2010, Orlando, US
      • Britspine 2010, 28th-30th April 2010, Liverpool, UK
    3. Sundaram RO, Subramanian R, Shaw D, de Matas M, Pillay R.
      A systematic process using intra-operative x-ray in preventing wrong level surgery for lumbar microdiscectomy.
      • Britspine 2010, 28th-30th April 2010, Liverpool, UK
    4. Brookes-Fazakerley S, Bruce CE, Dorgan JC, Sundaram RO, Theodoridis A, Ankers D, Harvey J.
      Paediatric scoliosis corrective surgery – a retrospective analysis of peri-and post-operative complications in UK Paediatric Orthopaedic Unit.
      • EFORT, 3rd-6th June 2009, Vienna, Austria
    5. Sundaram RO, Lipscombe SJ, Rigby M, Barrett P, O’Malley M, Shackleford IM.
      The use of intra-operative cell saver in major lumbar spinal surgery, is it effective?
      • EFORT, 11th- 15th May 2007, Florence, Italy
      • BOA Congress 2006, 26 th -29th September 2006, Glasgow, UK
      • Britspine 2006, 26 th -28th April 2006, Cardiff, UK
    6. Sundaram RO, Lipscombe SJ, Subramanian S, O’Malley M, Shackleford IM
      Image intensifier radiation doses in orthopaedic surgery:- Patients undergoing spinal surgery receive the most exposure.
      • EFORT, 11th- 15th May 2007, Florence, Italy
      • Britspine 2006, 26 th -28th April 2006, Cardiff, UK
    7. Shah NH, Sundaram RO, Velusamy A, Braithwaite IJ. 5 Year Functional Outcome Analysis of Ankle Fracture Fixation.
      • BOA Congress 2006, 26 th -29th September 2006, Glasgow, UK
      • British & Hellenic Trauma Society, 11 th – 13th October 2005, Athens, Greece
    8. Sundaram RO, Marquis C, Coleman J, Gossedge G, Eldeen M, Evans RA, Primary and revision arthrodesis and correlation with Darrach’s procedure.
      • EFFORT, 3rd – 7th June 2005, Lisbon, Portugal
    9. Sundaram RO, Parkinson RW. Closed suction drains in total knee arthroplasty – Are they necessary and do they affect transfusion rates?
      • ISAKOS 3rd – 7th April 2005, Miami, US
      • EFORT 3rd – 7th June 2005, Lisbon, Portugal
      • BASK meeting, 1st – 2nd April 2004, Basingstoke, UK
    10. Sundaram RO, Finley R, Harvey RA, Parkinson RW.
      Clinical outcome following bilateral staged total knee arthroplasty.
      • ISAKOS 3rd – 7th April 2005, Miami, US
      • EFORT 3rd – 7th June 2005, Lisbon, Portugal
      • BASK meeting, 1st – 2nd April 2004, Basingstoke, UK
    11. Sundaram RO, Ramakrishnan M, Harvery RA, Parkinson RW.
      A Comparative Study of the Surgical Incision scar following total knee arthroplasty using midline and medial parapatellar incisions.
      • ISAKOS 3rd – 7th April 2005, Miami, US
      • EFORT 3rd – 7th June 2005, Lisbon, Portugal
      • BASK meeting, 1st – 2nd April 2004, Basingstoke, UK
    12. Sundaram RO, Ramakrishnan M, Parkinson RW.
      Kneeling ability following primary, unicondylar and revision knee arthroplasty.
      • ISAKOS 3rd – 7th April 2005, Miami, US
      • EFORT 3rd – 7th June 2005, Lisbon, Portugal
      • BASK meeting, 1st – 2nd April 2004, Basingstoke, UK
    13. Shah A, Sundaram RO, Parkinson RW.
      Functional Outcome Following Re-Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.
      • BASK meeting, 1st – 2nd April 2004, Basingstoke, UK
      • BOA Congress, 14th – 17th September 2004, Manchester, UK
    14. Cockshott S, Sundaram RO, Bhalaik V, Walsh HPJ.
      Alpha-mannosidosis, Orthopaedic Manifestations in Two Brothers.
      • Europaediatrics 2003, 19 th -21 st October 2003, Prague, Czech Republic
    15. Sundaram RO, Emms NW, Bruce CE, Parkinson RW.
      The application of Universal Precautions by orthopaedic surgeons in a major trauma scenario.
      • British Trauma Society, 1 st-3 rd October 2003, London, UK.
    16. Sundaram RO, Ramakrishnan M, Kumar G, Kaye JC.
      The results of distal femoral nail fixation of supracondylar femoral fractures in the elderly.
      • British Trauma Society, 1 st-3 rd October 2003, London, UK.
      • EFORT 3rd – 7th June 2005, Lisbon, Portugal
    17. Sundaram RO, Walsh HPJ.
      Amputation of a crossover 2nd toe in the presence of hallux valgus.
      • British Orthopaedic Foot Surgery Society. 14th-15th November 2002. Wirral, UK.
    18. Sundaram RO, Moorhead JD, Montgomery SC.
      The Abduction and Adduction Coronal Axis Pathways of Normal Shoulders.
      • European Society for Surgery of the Shoulder and Elbow, September 18th-21st 2002, Budapest, Hungary.
    19. Sundaram RO, Emms NW, Morris AD, Kaye JC.
      The association of sulcus sign, glenohumeral rotation and joint laxity.
      • European Society for Surgery of the Shoulder and Elbow, 18th-21st September 2002, Budapest, Hungary.
    20. Sundaram RO, Braithwaite IJ, Sissons G.
      Injection Therapy for Foraminal Spinal Stenosis.
      • British Association of Spinal Surgeons. 5th January 2002, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
    21. Sundaram RO, Gedela VK, Wake PN, Robinson LQ.
      An Audit on the Use of Intravenous Urograms at Warrington General Hospital.
      • UK Radiological Congress, 9 th-11th June 2002, Birmingham, UK.
  • Published abstracts
    1. Sundaram RO, Schratt W, Hegarty J, Whynes D, Grevitt MP. Cost utility analysis of lumbar disc replacement vs circumferential fusion.  The Spine Journal 2010; 9S: 89S.
    2. Sundaram RO,  Saville P,  Jehan S,  Boszczyk B. Trans-sacral screw fixation for sacral fractures.  Is there a safe zone?  The Spine Journal 2010; 9S: 78S.
    3. Sundaram RO,  Subramanian R,  Shaw D, de Matas M,  Pillay R.  A systematic process using intra-operative x-ray in preventing wrong level surgery for lumbar microdiscectomy.  Accepted Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg.
    4. Sundaram RO, Lipscombe SJ, Subramanian S, O’Malley M, Shackleford IM Image intensifier radiation doses in orthopaedic surgery:- Patients undergoing spinal surgery receive the most exposure. Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg 2009; 91-B Supp I: 152.
    5. Shah NH, Sundaram RO, Velusamy A, Braithwaite IJ.  5 Year Functional Outcome Analysis of Ankle Fracture Fixation.  Injury Extra 2007; 38:15
    6. Sundaram ROMarquis C, Coleman J, Gossedge G, Eldeen M, Evans RA, Primary and revision arthrodesis and correlation with Darrach’s procedure. Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg 2006; 88-B Supp I: 133..
    7. Ramakrishnan M, Kumar G, Sundaram RO.  The results of distal femoral nail fixation of supracondylar femoral fractures in the elderly.  Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg 2006; 88-B Supp I: 173..
    8. Ramakrishnan M, Sundaram RO, Parkinson RW.  Kneeling ability following primary, unicondylar and revision knee arthroplasty.  Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg 2005; 87-B Supp II: 150.
    9. Sundaram RO, Finley R, Harvey RA, Parkinson RW.  Clinical outcome following bilateral staged total knee arthroplasty.  Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg 2005; 87-B Supp II: 154..
    10. Shah A, Sundaram RO, Parkinson RW.  Functional Outcome Following Re-Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.  Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg 2005; 87-B Supp II: 153.
    11. Sundaram RO, Emms NW, Bruce CE, Parkinson RW.  The application of Universal Precautions by orthopaedic surgeons in a major trauma scenario.  Injury Extra 2003; 33: 32.
    12. Sundaram RO, Walsh HPJ.  Amputation of a crossover 2nd toe in the presence of  hallux valgus.  Proceedings of J Bone Joint Surg 2003; 85-B Suppl III: 249.
    13. Sundaram RO, Gedela VK, Wake PN, Robinson LQ. An Audit on The Use of Intravenous Urograms at Warrington General Hospital. British Journal of Radiology Congress Series:- Proceedings of UK Radiological Congress Series. 9th June 2002; p74.

Dear Mr Sundaram and team. Since my last visit on the 20th December for spinal injections I have began to feel some improvement and starting to feel like my old self again. Huge thanks to you and the team. Best wishes…

To Mr Sundaram and his team. Thank you from the bottom of heart my operation has changed things so much in such a short time, compared to how I felt before, life is amazing. I can now carry on with being ‘mum’ to my amazing family. Thank you so much…

I write the email to thank you so very much for carrying out my procedure on Tuesday of this week. I applaud you for your professionalism. I am overjoyed in the way that every member of your staff looked after me in manner that was exceptional, this, for which I am extremely grateful.

Thank you so much for caring understanding and advice regarding my spine problem. It was a relief to know that there are ways of alleviating the very real discomfort.