SWS Cymru, Support With Scoliosis
Directory
Email: info@swscymru.org.uk
Phone: 029 20694105
Our mission
Diagnosis & Treatments
Consultants
With Over 30,000 people affected by scoliosis in Wales.
You Are Not Alone!
SWS Cymru, Support With Scoliosis is a Registered Charity. Our mission is to best serve those affected by scoliosis in Wales by signposting them to good quality information and highlight points that may differ from those living in other parts of the UK.
As Health Services differ across the UK, it is important that we understand procedures in our area so that we can obtain the most appropriate treatment required for us as individuals. At times this can be very confusing, but we will try to help where possible.
If you would like to ask a question, or contact us for any reason, please use the contact form from the top of this website.
News & Events
To celebrate Scoliosis Awareness Month this year, some of us went on a wonderful retreat day in Mwnt, Cardigan. Hosted by the awesome Francesca Tebbutt of Tebbutt Treatments, Pilates & Nutrition http://www.facebook.com/tebbutt.treatments/ Fantastic to explore Pilates, Yoga flow & breathing, ending learning all about Grounding & how it can benefit our health.
The BASIS Study is a new UK based study which is using 2 types of back brace to determine their effectiveness. More information can be found at: basisstudy.org or use the contact form on this website and we will try to help.
Our Mission
We want to support individuals who find themselves with a confusing and distressing diagnosis of scoliosis.
We have registered ourselves as a charity to reflect the needs of people affected by scoliosis in Wales. As we have our own Welsh Government and Health is devolved service, it is important to us that we promote the guidelines set out by this government for health and wellbeing, as well as acknowledging our own language to provide a service that is relevant. We support and recommend the work carried out by the national charity, The Scoliosis Association UK (SAUK) and indeed some of our supporters are members of SAUK, but unfortunately we were unable to secure funds to produce bilingual literature from SAUK because their own finances were limited. By being a registered charity in our own right, we seek to address these points and all funds raised will be used within Wales.
We will signpost to approved information that can be trusted and highlight where there may be differences in treatments or procedures.
Our Trustees consist of both medical and non-medical staff. Half of the Trustees are Welsh speaking. We involve young and mature people, men and women. Some have been treated for the condition, including one of the Trustees.
We believe that this work is necessary because there are thousands of people with scoliosis who don’t know anyone else with the condition. There is an awful stigma attached to it as the condition may cause a rib hump on the person’s back and this can lead to bullying, discrimination in the work place and society and can lead to adverse psychological problems, sadly still portrayed by the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The spinal unit within CAVOC have already made a huge difference to people with this condition. SWS Cymru aims to work closely with this busy unit to enhance their work whilst also building on it to offer a unique service in Wales
We hope to help anyone affected by scoliosis achieve a better quality of life, inform them that they are not alone, as is the most common reaction and that this condition does not mean that they cannot lead a very productive and rewarding life.
If you would like to know more or have a question, please complete our contact form at the top of the page.
Consultants
Mr. Alwyn Jones
Name: Mr Alwyn Jones MB ChB - Bachelor of Medicine / Bachelor of Surgery
BSc - Bachelor of Science
MSc - Master of Science
FRCS - Fellow Royal College of Surgeons
FRSC (Orth.) - Fellow Royal College of Surgeons (Orthopaedics)
Research interests:
Spinal fusion outcomes
Spinal implant testing - laboratory studies
Current NHS and /or university posts:
Consultant Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon, Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust
Honary Consultant Spinal Surgeon, Swansea NHS Trust
Year of first medical qualification: 1992
Current membership(s) of professional, national and regional bodies:
RCS - Royal College of Surgeons (England)
British Medical Association
British Orthopaedic Association
British Scoliosis Society
SOLAS - Society of Lateral Access Surgery
Background Information
Professional Profile:
Alwyn, a welsh speaker, graduated from Cardiff in 1993 and carried out his basic surgical training in South Wales. He progressed on to the All Wales Orthopaedic training scheme and spent two years specialising in spinal surgery. He then spent a year in Quenn's Medical Centre, Nottingham, where he completed a nationally recognised spinal fellowship, treating both adult and paediatric spinal conditions.
He has now been a Consultant Spinal Surgeon in Cardiff since 2004, where he treats wholly spinal conditions including adult and paediatric deformity (scoliosis), neck and arm pain, back pain and sciatica. He also treats spinal fractures with or without spinal cord injury, spinal infections, as well as patients with rheumatoid arthritis.I have an interest in sports medicine and treat local players from Cardiff Blues, Glamorgan Cricket Club and also Cardiff City.
He is part of a spinal team who do an on-call rota covering spinal injuries across South Wales.
He has an active role in clinical and biomechanical research and is a member of the AO Spinal Faculty where he teaches practical and evidence based practice to nursing staff as well as junior orthopaedic and neurosurgical trainees.
Personal Profile:
I am a devoted family man with two young daughters who keep me on my toes outside work. I played a lot of sport in college and was a member of Cardiff Medicals RFC. I still try to maintain contacts with that Association. Although I don't play rugby any more, due to age catching up with me, I support our nation's winning team. I like to keep fit and I still go to the gym, although the kids tend to keep me active enough.
Mr. Sashin Ahuja
Name: Mr Sashin Ahuja MBBS, MS(Orth), DNB Orth, FRCS, FRCS(Orth), MSc Orth Eng
Research interests: Spinal biomechanics mainly based at Cardiff university
Clinical research in spinal pathology and various treatments
Basic Science research
Current NHS and /or university posts:
University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff.
University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
Honorary Clinical lecturer Cardiff University
Programme Director- AO Spine Reference Centre (International)
Year of first medical qualification: 1992
Current membership(s) of professional, national and regional bodies:
Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons Glasgow
British Scoliosis Society
AO Spine
British Association of Spinal Surgeons
Background Information
Professional Profile:
Having completed my orthopaedic training in Wales, I gained training in spinal surgery in Cardiff and Nottingham. I was appointed as a consultant in 2003.
My practice involves treating all aspects of spinal pathology ie low back pain, neck pain, spinal injuries, spinal tumours and scoliosis surgery. And associated conditions related to spinal problems ie sacroiliac joint and coccygeal pain.
I have expertise in newer techniques such as minimally invasive procedures for back pain. We have pioneered minimally invasive surgery for sacroiliac joint stabilisation.
A detailed account of my specialist areas include: Back pain, leg pain, lower back pain, neck pain, sciatica, spinal Injections, sacroiliac joint pain and stabilisation, Cauda Equina Syndrome, spinal surgery, chronic pain, lumbar spine (diseases and disorders of), cervical spine (diseases and disorders of), coccygeal pain, minimal access / invasive surgery, paediatric orthopaedics, scoliosis, sports injuries, osteoporosis, spinal disease and trauma, disc replacement, revision surgery (spinal), ankylosing spondylitis, hyperextension / hyperflexion of spine ('whiplash'), degenerative spine disorders and spine management.
I'm the back pain pathway lead for the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and also act as Speciality Advisor for Spinal Interventions for NICE.
Personal Profile:
Outside work I spend most of my time with my family. I am interested in sports and play racquet sports and cricket. I enjoy listening to music in my spare time.
Mr. Stuart James
Name: Mr Stuart James BM, MRCS(Eng), FRCS(Orth)
Research interests:
Research interest, are in the role of minimally invasive surgery and its relationship to improved clinical outcomes with particular emphasis on degenerative spine disease including deformity.
Basic science interests are in the role of biomarkers as a localisation tool for symptomatic spinal pathology.
Current NHS and /or university posts:
Consultant Spine Surgeon, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff and Vale NHS trust
Honorary Lecturer, Cardiff University
Current membership(s) of professional, national and regional bodies:
Royal College of Surgeons England
British Association of Spine Surgeons (BASS)
British Scoliosis Society (BSS)
British Orthopaedic Association (BOA)
Background Information
Professional Profile:
Stuart undertook his medical training at the University of Southampton qualifying in 1998. Following completion of his degree, Mr James returned home to Wales, where he undertook his basic surgical training and also specialist training in Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery in the All Wales Orthopaedic Training Scheme. Whilst on the All Wales Training scheme he experienced extensive spinal training before undergoing further sub-specialist training in Spine Surgery.
Stuart then completed a recognised spine fellowship in Bristol, where he gained extensive exposure and experience in all aspects of spinal disease, from trauma and tumour work through to adult and paediatric complex deformity. Further exposure and training in cutting edge contemporary spinal techniques has been gained in both Europe and the USA. Stuart is GMC registered and on the Specialist Register.
Mr James’s practice is solely in the field of spine surgery. He partakes in a spinal on-call rota for South Wales.
Stuart James has an active role in teaching, being an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Wales. He is also an AO spine faculty member and teaches trainees in Neurosurgery and Orthopaedics, in all aspects of spinal surgery. Within the Royal College of Surgeons, he is regularly a faculty member on the Basic Surgical Skills and Orthopaedics courses.
Mr. Michael McCarthy
I am a Consultant Spinal Surgeon at Spire Cardiff Hospital with a background in trauma and orthopaedics. I perform spinal interventions from the simplest minimally invasive surgery through to highly complex procedures, but, in the majority of cases, I manage spinal conditions with a range of non-surgical measures.
Although I have been fully trained in Trauma and Orthopaedics I now work purely as a spinal surgeon. I perform over 120 spinal operations and over 200 spinal injections every year. I have also performed over 200 anterior cervical discectomy and fusions, over 400 lumbar decompression / discectomies, over 200 lumbar fusion +/- decompressions, over 200 spinal deformity operations and over 200 emergency procedures for trauma, infection and tumour.
At the University of Nottingham, I graduated with a first class honours degree in medicine in 1999. As part of my undergraduate degree I spent time at the Cook County
Trauma Unit in Chicago, where they filmed the television series ER. This provided me with experience and a greater understanding of complex severe trauma management.
Upon completion of my undergraduate studies, I embarked on my career in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery by firstly accomplishing three and a half years of basic surgical training in Nottingham, where I carefully selected the surgical specialities that would best assist me in developing the necessary surgical skills as a future spinal surgeon. These included six-month rotations working in Accident and Emergency, General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery.
By excelling in my Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons examinations, I was awarded the opportunity to undertake a one year research fellowship in spinal surgery at the world renowned Centre for Spinal Surgery at the Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham. My research from this year has been presented both nationally and
internationally and has been published in International Medical Journals.
My higher surgical training in Trauma and Orthopaedics was based in the South West Peninsula Deanery on the Specialist Registrar Training rotation. This enabled me to train under the skilful experienced hands of several world-renowned spinal surgeons including a year at the internationally recognised AO Spine Centre in Brisbane, Australia.
I commenced as a full time Spinal Consultant at University Hospital of Wales and University Hospital Llandough, Cardiff in 2012. My NHS practices is based at the University Hospital of Wales and to date I have performed over 4,000 spinal procedures.
Mr.Iqroop Chopra
I am a spinal consultant who works between Llandough Hospital and University Hospital of Wales. My initial post-graduate education was undertaken at Bombay, India followed by training on the North Thames neurosurgical rotation in London.
The last two years of my training were spent learning about complex spinal surgery with an accredited fellowship staged between Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London. This gave me a unique opportunity into the understanding of spinal pathology from both an orthopaedic and neurosurgical perspective: helping treat complications like skeletal instability, CSF leak, recurrent discs and arachnoiditis.
I am well versed with spinal procedures ranging from decompressive foraminotomies to
complex instrumentation and fixation. I have had targeted training in operative microscopic techniques and their use in complementary skull base procedures and intricate spinal dissection.
I have a specific interest in cervical and lumbar fusions, artificial cervical discs, degenerative spinal disease, canal stenosis, spinal trauma, spinal tumours - intradural and extradural, syringomyelia and Chiari malformation.
My research interests are in degenerative cervical disc disease: fusion verses arthroplasty and neural tissue regeneration. I am keen on undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and have been a faculty on FRCS Spinal revision course and AO instructors course.
