Mr Michael McCarthy

Qualifications

BMedSci, BMBS (Hons), MRCS(Eng), MSc(OrthEng), FRCS (Tr&, Orth)

GMC number: 4628860

Practising since: 1999

Specialties

Orthopaedic surgery

Consultation times

  • Weekly appointments available at the Cardiff Bay Hospital
  • Overview
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About

Having graduated with a first-class honours degree in medicine from the University of Nottingham in 1999 Mr McCarthy spent time at the Cook County Trauma Unit in Chicago (where they filmed the television series ER). This provided experience and a greater understanding of complex severe trauma management. He then embarked on a career in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery finishing three and a half years of basic surgical training in Nottingham. This included six-month rotations working in Accident and Emergency, General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery.

Mr McCarthy excelled in his Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons examinations and 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. His research from this year has been presented both nationally and internationally and has been published in international medical journals.

Mr McCarthy's higher surgical training in Trauma and Orthopaedics was based in the South West Peninsula Deanery on the Specialist Registrar Training rotation. During this time he completed a Master's Degree in Orthopaedic Engineering at Cardiff University attaining a distinction.

After completing his Fellowship Examinations in Trauma and Orthopaedics at the Royal College of Surgeons Mr McCarthy chose to spend a further three years specialising in spinal surgery. This enabled training under the skilful experienced hands of several world-renowned spinal surgeons including a year at the internationally recognized AO Spine Centre in Brisbane, Australia.

He is a senior lecturer at Cardiff University Medical School.

Special interests

Mr McCarthy specialises in all forms of spinal surgery except for Intradural Pathology. 

Other interests

  • Spinal surgery outcomes
  • Degenerative conditions of the spine including low back, leg, neck and arm pain
  • Spinal trauma, tumours and deformity
  • Implant biomechanics
  • Basic science research

Personal interests

Mr McCarthy is a devoted family man with two young sons who keep him very busy outside of work.
He enjoys swimming, gardening, photography and listening to a wide range of music in his spare time.
He is a team manager for Cardiff City Swimming Club. 

Languages spoken

English

Treatments and tests offered by Mr Michael McCarthy at Nuffield Health

  • Lumbar discectomy
  • Removal of spinal hardware
  • Spinal (lumbar) Decompression
  • Epidural injection for pain relief
  • Cervical Spine Surgery
  • Cervical Disc Replacement

Locations Mr Michael McCarthy works with

Related experience

Research

  1. Effects Of Neonatal Capsaicin Administration On The Numbers And Volumes Of Neurones In The Left And Right T10 Dorsal Root Ganglia, Journal of Neurocytology 2000; 28: 161-69.
  2. Melorheostosis At The Tenth And Eleventh Thoracic Vertebra Crossing The Facet Joint: A Rare Cause Of Back Pain. Skeletal Radiology 2004; 33: 283-286.
  3. Introduction to Spine Surgery, Edited by S. Corbett. Author of chapter “The Injured Spine”: 89-111. AO Publishing, Thieme, Switzerland, 2006.
  4. Cauda Equina Syndrome: The Factors Influencing Functional and Sphincteric Outcome. Spine 2007; 32: 207-16.
  5. The Reliability And Validity Of The Vernon And Mior Neck Disability Index And Comparison To The Short Form-36 Health Survey Questionnaire, European Spine Journal 2007; 16: 2111-7.
  6. Oxford Desk Reference Major Trauma, Edited by J. Smith, I. Greaves and K. Porter. Author of chapter “Spinal Injuries”: 163-207. Oxford University Press, UK, 2011.
  7. The Influence Of The Energy Of Trauma, The Timing Of Decompression, And The Impact Of Grade Of SCI On Outcome, Evidence Based Spine Journal 2011; 2: 11-17.
  8. A Radiological Comparison of Anterior Fusion Rates in Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion, Global Spine Journal 2012; 02: 195-206.
  9. Management of symptomatic degenerative low grade lumbar spondylolisthesis - Dec 2018 VOL 3, 10.1302/2058

Memberships

  • Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
  • British Association of Spinal Surgeons
  • British Medical Association
  • British Orthopaedic Association

Other posts held

  • Consultant Spinal Surgeon, University Hospital of Wales

Insurers Mr Michael McCarthy works with

Mr Michael McCarthy works with the following private medical insurance providers:

  • Aviva Health
  • Benenden Health
  • Bupa
  • Bupa On Demand
  • Cigna
  • CS Healthcare
  • Exeter Family Friendly
  • Simplyhealth
  • Universal Provident
  • WPA
  • AXA Health
  • Westfield Health WPA
  • Police Mutual
  • Vitality Health (Pru Health)
  • Health-on-Line
  • Healthcare RM
  • Healix

Declaration

Mr Michael McCarthy does not hold a share or financial interest in this hospital, another Nuffield Health hospital or the company.

Mr Michael McCarthy does not have a share or financial interest in equipment used at this hospital or another Nuffield Health hospital.

Mr Michael McCarthy does not hold any paid advisory role(s) at this hospital or on behalf of Nuffield Health.