About Me
Mr David Thyagarajan is a senior consultant Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon known for his precision, innovation, and dedication to delivering highest standards of care. He provides specialist treatment for all shoulder and elbow problems at the BMI Thornbury Hospital and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. After graduating in 1994, he completed Higher Surgical Training in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery in Bristol before being selected for the prestigious Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship Programme in Nottingham where, he gained extensive experience managing a high volume of complex cases and developed expertise across the full spectrum of shoulder and elbow surgery. To further refine his skills, he visited internationally acclaimed centres of excellence in Houston and San Antonio, USA, gaining experience in pioneering, state of the art techniques.
His advanced knowledge and commitment to the field have been recognised with the prestigious SECEC Certification, a distinction awarded by the European Society of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery to a select group of experts dedicated to advancing shoulder and elbow care across Europe.
He has a particular interest in arthroscopic and open surgery for sports injuries, shoulder and elbow instability, degenerative joint disease requiring replacement, complex revision and reconstructive custom replacement and sternoclavicular joint surgery.
Alongside his clinical work, he is deeply committed to research, education, and innovation. He has published in peer-reviewed journals, serves as a reviewer for The Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, and regularly presents his work at leading international conferences including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the European Shoulder and Elbow Society Congress (SECEC), and the British Shoulder and Elbow Society (BESS). His expertise has also earned him invitations to speak at major global symposiums including the International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.
As a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Sheffield and a trainer at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, he plays a key role in mentoring the next generation of orthopedic surgeons. His career combines world class surgical expertise with a genuine passion for helping patients restore movement, strength, and confidence in their everyday lives.

David Thyagarajan
Qualifications
European Society of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery (SECEC) Certification
(Elite network of surgeons with advanced expertise, committed to driving excellence in
shoulder and elbow care across Europe)
Advanced Shoulder and Elbow Fellowship, Nottingham
FRCS Trauma & Orthopedics Royal College of Surgeon of Edinburgh
FRCS Royal College of Surgeon of Edinburgh
MRCS Royal College of Surgeon of Edinburgh
MBBS

Affliations & Professional Memberships
British Orthopaedic Association
British Elbow & Shoulder Society
European Society of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery (SECEC)
British Medical Association
General Medical Council
Medical Defence Union

Clinical Interests
Shoulder pain, Arthritis, Sports injury, Arthroscopy of the shoulder, Arthroscopic Subacromial Decompression, Acromio-Clavicular Joint Excision, Acromio-Clavicular Joint Stabilisation, Rotator Cuff Repair, Bankart Stabilisation / Arthroscopic capsulo- labral reconstruction, Long head of Biceps Tenodesis, Latarjet Stabilsiation / Coracoid transfer stabilisation, Pec Major / Pectoralis Major Repair, Shoulder Arthrolysis / Capsular release, Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior (SLAP) repair, Primary Shoulder Replacement, Complex primary and Revision shoulder surgery with glenoid reconstructions, Custom shoulder and elbow replacement, Scapulothoracic fusion, Sternoclavicular Joint Surgery, Complex shoulder fracture fixation surgery and treatment of fracture sequelae
Elbow pain, Elbow Arthritis, , Elbow arthroscopy, Distal Biceps Repair, Tennis elbow release, Golfers Elbow release, Nerve decompressions, Radial head, Replacements, Elbow instability surgery, Primary Total Elbow Replacement, Revision Total Elbow Replacement, Complex Elbow fracture fixation surgery and treatment of fracture sequelae
International Visits
After his fellowship programme he travelled to shoulder and elbow centres of excellence in the USA as a visiting surgeon and gained insight and experience in state of the art surgical techniques from world renowned surgeons Dr Steve Burkhart in San Antonio and Dr Gary Gartsman in Houston, Texas
The Orthopaedic Institute
400 Concord Plaza Dr.San Antonio, TX 78216
Texas Orthopedic Hospital, 7401 Main St, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Invited Lectures
Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty – Live debate, 4th Inter University Course of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, São Paulo, Brazil
BESS Elbow Update Symposium, Sheffield
BIOS Annual Conference - Complex Fractures – How I approach the problem Complex
Elbow Fracture, Mansfield
Shoulder Arthroplasty - London shoulder and elbow FRCS (Orth) revision course
Shoulder Arthroplasty for Trauma - Upper Limb Summer University Meeting, Sheffield
Speaker for the symposium session in ‘Arthritis and Arthroplasty’ at the International
congress of shoulder and elbow surgery ICSES, Jeju Island, South Korea.

David Thyagarajan at the ICSES 2016, Korea

David Thyagarajan with Prof Wallace and the Nottingham team at the ICSES 2013, Japan

David Thyagarajan with Dr Stephen S Burkhart at the San Antonio Shoulder Clinic, Texas, USA

David Thyagarajan with
Dr Richard Hawkins at the ICSES 2016, Jeju, Korea
Personal Profile
I am married to Preetha, who is a Burns and Plastic Surgeon and she provides Burns services at the regional Burn Centre for Yorkshire & Humber region. We have a 19 year old son who is at university. I enjoy fitness, long walks in the peak district,DIY projects, traveling and music.

Publications
1. Radial head replacement - A comprehensive review. J Orthop. 2022 Dec 15;36:51-56.
2. Non-operative management of terrible triad injuries of the elbow; not so terrible? Shoulder Elbow. 2024 Apr;16(2):200-205.
3. Reliability analysis of radiologic and intraoperative loosening in total elbow arthroplasty. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2021 Oct;30(10):2401-2405.
4. Revision total elbow arthroplasty: Is it safe to perform a single-stage revision for presumed aseptic loosening based on clinical assessment, normal inflammatory markers, and a negative aspiration? J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2021 Jan;30(1):140-145.
Published Abstracts:
1. Implant survival and complications following VAIOS reverse total shoulder arthroplasty Bone Joint J, Orthopaedic Proceedings, Dec 2021
2. Dual platform 4 th generation shoulder arthroplasty system : medium term results Bone Joint J, Orthopaedic Proceedings, Dec 2021
1. Glenoid Reconstruction using bone graft in Reverse shoulder arthroplasty – A 10 year review, SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress, Madrid, 2025
2. Custom Glenoid reconstruction in Reverse shoulder arthroplasty, European Society of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery (SECEC) 2024
3. Complex fracture dislocation of the elbow - Surgical implications and functional outcomes, 4th Interuniversity Course of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, April 13 and 14, 2023, at the Sheraton WTC Hotel São Paulo
4. Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty – Live debate, 4th Interuniversity Course of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, April 13 and 14, 2023, at the Sheraton WTC Hotel São Paulo
5. Monteggia Injuries of the elbow and its management, BESS Elbow Update Symposium, Sheffield, Oct 2022
6. Complex Fractures – How I approach the problem Complex Elbow Fracture, BIOS Annual Conference, 8th - 9th of July 2022, Mansfield, UK
7. Implant survival and complications following VAIOS reverse total shoulder Arthroplasty, BOA, 2021
8. Dual platform 4 th generation shoulder arthroplasty system : medium term results, BOA, 2021
9. Metal Back Glenoid Anatomical Total Shoulder Replacement Single surgeon series with mean 3 Year Follow-Up BESS 2020
10. Stabilisation of unstable Sternoclavicular joint using neoligament, European Society of Shoulder & Elbow Surgery (SECEC) 2020
11. Severe Glenoid bone loss during Total Shoulder Arthroplasty – Is bone grafting still an option? SICOT Orthopaedic World Congress 2019
12. Bone Allograft Reconstruction in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Orthopaedic World Congress SICOT 2019



