Aled qualified from the University of Wales College of Medicine in 1996 after undertaking an intercalated degree in Biochemistry. After basic surgical training, he completed his specialist Orthopaedic training on the All Wales Orthopaedic Rotation with placements in South and North Wales. During this rotation Aled completed a Master’s degree in Orthopaedic Engineering, further developing an interest in biomechanics and materials science and how they apply to orthopaedic implants.
From 2005 to 2006 Aled undertook the Villars R Marshall Lower Limb Arthroplasty and Arthroscopy Fellowship at Flinders University Teaching Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia. This public sector fellowship focused on knee and hip replacement, revision hip and knee replacement and arthroscopic surgery of the knee including ligament reconstruction. During this year Aled was involved in studies investigating the use of computer navigated knee replacement and completed further training in the use of these systems. Although focusing on knee and hip replacement and revision surgery (re-do surgery for failed joint replacement), this fellowship also included general trauma (fractures and injuries) and senior on-call duties.
Aled was appointed as an NHS Consultant Orthopaedic Lower Limb surgeon at the Royal Gwent Hospital in 2006. He specialises in conditions affecting the hip and knee with a focus on joint replacement. He has also referred patients with failing joint replacements for further investigation and treatment. This surgery can be complex and challenging and Aled actively participates in the local multidisciplinary meetings set up to discuss these cases. Aled is a high volume surgeon undertaking several hundred joint replacements, revision replacements and arthroscopic cases (key-hole) each year. All of his joint replacement cases are entered into the National Joint Registry and he was one of the first Welsh surgeons to allow his data to be openly shared.
Aled developed an interest in hip arthroscopy after further training at the Richard Villar school of Arthroscopy in 2011 and spent several visitation days witnessing real surgical cases. Aled is, therefore, able to treat patients with hip conditions such as labral (cartilage) tears and impingement and also trochanteric bursitis with hip arthroscopy rather than open surgery, minimising trauma and speeding recovery. He has been performing hip arthroscopy since 2012.
Aled was Clinical Director of the Aneurin Bevan Orthopaedic department from 2014 to 2019 and is Director of the Royal Gwent Hospital Bone Bank. This is the only hospital-based bone bank in Wales and one of only a few in the UK. This service receives donated bone from hip replacement cases and stores this for use in surgical cases that have bone deficiencies such as revision cases, trauma and spinal cases. The Bone Bank is regulated by the Human Tissue Authority and is for the sole benefit of our local patients.
Aled has been fortunate to be invited to lecture and teach at courses and conferences both nationally and internationally and presently is the regional lead on the British Hip Society Revision Network Advisory Panel seeking to improve networking for these complex cases.
Further to his experience in computer navigated knees Aled has had further training in the use of robotic-assisted surgery and plans to selectively introduce this into his practice.
Aled is a keen teacher and continues to train the next generation of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
