Oryon Academy Spinal Symposium 2026
Date and time
Thursday 23rd April
09:00 - 17:00
Speaker
Oryon Academy Spinal Symposium Speakers
Consultants Of Various Specialities
Location
Royal Society of Medicine
1 Wimpole Street, London
W1G 0AE
Price
£150
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Oryon Academy Spinal Symposium 2026
Why this is the spinal event of the year
The Oryon Academy Spinal Symposium 2026 brings together leading spinal surgeons, radiologists and MSK specialists for a full day of evidence-based talks, real-world case discussions and practical learning you can apply in clinic the next morning.
Across the day, you’ll:
- Hear from expert spinal clinicians on the latest thinking in diagnosis, imaging and management
- Work through real case studies that reflect the patients you see every week
- Contributes towards your CPD
- Network with peers, referrers and the wider Oryon clinical community
- Enjoy refreshments throughout the day in a central London setting
As Oryon’s flagship in-person event, the Symposium will also be the first place to hear about new developments, exclusive offers and what’s coming next for Oryon – with a few surprises reserved just for delegates.
Provisional Programme
The Oryon Academy Spinal Symposium 2026 brings together leading spine surgeons, sports medicine specialists and musculoskeletal clinicians to explore practical approaches to spinal diagnosis, imaging and management.
Each session includes approximately 30 minutes of presentation followed by a 10-minute audience Q&A.
The day will be chaired by Mr Bob Chatterjee, guiding discussion, facilitating panel sessions and ensuring a clinically focused programme throughout.
Symposium Chair
Mr Bob Chatterjee
Consultant Spinal Surgeon
Mr Chatterjee will chair the symposium, guiding discussion and facilitating clinical dialogue throughout the day.
A highly respected Consultant Spinal Surgeon, he brings extensive experience in complex spinal conditions, multidisciplinary collaboration and evidence-based decision-making.
Programme Schedule
09:00 – Welcome
Opening remarks and introduction to the day.
09:10 – Mr Mo Akmal
Spinal Day Surgery – Advances in Surgical Techniques and Benefits
Spinal day-case surgery has transformed the management of many spinal conditions. This session explores advances in minimally invasive techniques, enhanced recovery pathways and modern surgical approaches that allow complex procedures to be performed safely with shorter recovery times.
About Mr Akmal
Consultant Spinal Surgeon and Medical Director of the London Spine Unit on Harley Street with nearly three decades of experience treating complex spinal conditions. A pioneer of spinal day surgery techniques, he specialises in minimally invasive approaches designed to minimise tissue damage, reduce post-operative pain and accelerate recovery.
10:30 – Mr Michael Hess
Lumbar Radicular Pain and When Escalation is Appropriate
Lumbar radicular pain is a common cause of disability and referral. This session focuses on clinical assessment, conservative pathways, recognising red flags and understanding when escalation to surgical options becomes appropriate.
About Mr Hess
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Director of InsightSpine. An internationally recognised specialist in minimally invasive spine surgery and interventional pain therapy with over 20 years’ experience in endoscopic spinal techniques.
11:10 – Mr Dominic Cheetham & Mr Dan Hughes
The Case for Considering Weight-Bearing Imaging in the Understanding and Diagnosis of Low Back Pain
This session explores how upright and weight-bearing imaging can provide valuable additional diagnostic insight in patients with spinal pathology and persistent low back pain.
Both speakers bring extensive experience in spinal imaging interpretation and its application within multidisciplinary clinical care.
11:30 – Coffee Break
11:45 – Mr John Sutcliffe
The Clinical Use of MR Spectroscopy in a Busy Spinal Clinic – Is This a Back Pain Scan?
This session examines the emerging role of MR spectroscopy in identifying discogenic back pain and its potential to provide non-invasive insights into pain-generating discs.
About Mr Sutcliffe
Consultant Neurosurgeon with over 30 years’ experience in spinal surgery and spinal diagnostics. His work has focused on developing imaging techniques that improve diagnostic accuracy and guide treatment decisions.
12:25 – Mr George Bownes
Lumbar Spine Stress Injuries (Pars Stress & Pars Fractures)
Diagnosis, imaging interpretation and management considerations in lumbar stress injuries, particularly in active and athletic populations.
About Mr Bownes
Specialist in Sport and Musculoskeletal Medicine with experience across NHS, military and elite sport environments. Founder of Citius Health and former Tournament Physician at Wimbledon, he has worked with Olympic athletes and elite rugby teams.
13:05 – Mr Caspar Aylott
Spinal Problems, Biomechanics and a Few Surprises
An interactive session exploring familiar spinal presentations and the biomechanical factors that influence diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
About Mr Aylott
Consultant Spinal Surgeon with extensive experience in degenerative spinal conditions and complex spinal disorders, with a strong focus on multidisciplinary care and evidence-based referral pathways.
13:45 – Lunch
14:05 – Dr Keith Bush
Prolotherapy – Regenerative Soft Tissue Injection
An overview of regenerative injection approaches and where they sit within contemporary spinal care and non-surgical management of spinal pain.
About Dr Bush
Consultant Orthopaedic and Sports Physician with over 40 years’ experience in spinal medicine. Awarded a Doctorate by the University of London for research into spinal disorders and a former President of the Society of Orthopaedic Medicine.
14:45 – Dr Nikos G. Malliaropoulos
Centralisation Phenomenon as a Clinical and Prognostic Tool in Mechanical Low Back Pain
This session explores centralisation as a reliable clinical response in mechanical low back pain, its role in guiding treatment and its association with improved patient outcomes.
About Dr Malliaropoulos
Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine and Reader at Queen Mary University of London. His research and clinical practice focus on musculoskeletal injury, rehabilitation and image-guided intervention.
15:30 – Dr Nigel Kellow
Emerging Techniques in the Management of Benign and Malignant Musculoskeletal Pathology
This lecture explores new minimally invasive treatments for painful musculoskeletal tumours and metastases, including cryoablation, embolisation and structural reinforcement techniques that improve symptom control and patient outcomes.
About Dr Kellow
One of the UK’s leading interventional physicians specialising in musculoskeletal and neurological pain conditions. He trained in London, Oxford, Paris and Cambridge and has served as a consultant at Barts Health NHS Trust. He practices at the Wellington Hospital Spine Unit and in Harley Street.
16:55 – Dr Naeem Ahmed
The Importance of Imaging
This session explores the role of imaging in guiding clinical decision-making, improving diagnostic accuracy and supporting effective referral pathways.
17:15 – Closing Remarks
Additional Information
Professional filming and photography will take place throughout the day, and all sessions will be recorded.
Who is this for?
The Spinal Symposium is designed for practitioners who regularly assess, refer or manage patients with spinal conditions, including:
- Spinal and orthopaedic surgeons
- Neurosurgeons
- MSK and spinal radiologists
- Physiotherapists, osteopaths and chiropractors
- Pain medicine specialists
- GPs with an extended role in MSK / FCPs / ESPs
If spinal cases are a core part of your practice, this day is for you.
Bob Chatterjee
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon |London
Mr Bob Chatterjee is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Chief of Spinal Surgery at The Hospital of St John’s & St Elizabeth's and Spinal Development Lead at The London Clinic. He is also Clinical Director of Harley Street Spine.
Nigel Kellow
Consultant In Spinal And Pain Medicine |London
Dr Nigel Kellow is a Consultant in Interventional Spine at Wellington Hospital Spine Unit in London. He specialises in urgent triage and treatment for spinal and neurological problems, and treats patients with persistent problems following surgery. He works closely with spinal and neurological surgeons across the South East.
Mo Akmal
Consultant Orthopaedic And Spinal Surgeon |London
Mr Mo Akmal
MBBS(Hons) MD FRCS(Orth)
Mr Mo Akmal is a London-based consultant spinal surgeon and Medical Director of the London Spine
Unit on Harley Street with almost three decades of experience treating complex spinal conditions.
Graduating from Imperial College and completing his spinal fellowship training in Oxford, he is widely
recognised as a pioneer in day surgery techniques for spinal surgery. He has developed techniques that
avoid prolonged recovery traditionally associated with spinal operations, including complex revision,
lumbar fusion and dynamic stabilisation procedures using advanced techniques that minimise tissue
damage, reduce post-operative pain, and support faster recovery. His work spans a broad range of
spinal conditions, and his extensive experience allows him to apply precise, modern surgical methods
even in complex and revision cases. This combination of technical expertise, specialist knowledge, and
clinical judgment has established him as a highly experienced spinal surgeon with a strong reputation
for delivering effective, patient- focused care.
Michael Hess
|
G. Michael Hess, (FA Tr&Orth (Ger), MD, PhD)
Mr. G. Michael Hess is board-certified for orthopedic surgery and pain therapy. He
graduated from Medical School at University Dusseldorf in 1995, completed his
residency in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and at the Spine Center at Orthopaedische Klinik
Muenchen-Harlaching. After a fellowship in spine surgery and interventional radiology
at the University Hospital in Quebec City, Canada, he was appointed Lead of the Back
Pain Center at Orthopaedische Klinik Muenchen-Harlaching in 2001. In 2003 Dr. Hess
went into private practice as consultant for orthopaedic spine surgery at OCM -
Orthopedic Center Munich, where he was responsible for minimal-invasive spine
surgery and interventional pain therapy until 2015.
In 2016 Dr. Hess founded InsightSpine, which is providing a comprehensive spinal disc
pain service in London and Maidstone, Kent. He joined The London Spine Clinic in April
2019.
Dr. Hess served as Master Instructor for Spine Intervention Society (SIS, USA) until 2022.
Dr. Hess is an internationally renowned expert in the field of minimal-invasive spine
surgery and interventional pain therapy. He is lecturer of more than 150 scientific
presentations and has been invited world wide as guest surgeon.
John Sutcliffe
Consultant Spinal Neurosurgeon |London
John Sutcliffe trained as an undergraduate in Edinburgh, gaining the year prize for systematic surgery and qualifying in 1983. His early medical post-graduate training was also in Edinburgh, after qualification, taking in a large number of specialties including plastic, orthopaedic and paediatric surgery before focusing on neurosurgery.
He undertook Neurosurgical training posts in Sheffield and London and developed an extensive experience of treating spinal conditions ranging from tumours and trauma to the commoner degenerative spinal conditions. He was appointed as a consultant neurosurgeon in 1993 and since that time has concentrated exclusively in the management of patients with spinal disorders.
He developed the concept of the multi-disciplinary team approach to spinal disorders, setting up the London Spine Clinic in 1997 and resigned from the NHS in 2000. He remains an Emeritus Consultant at Barts' and the London NHS Trust. The London Spine Clinic was the first unit of its kind in the UK and continues with the same philosophy today.
Mr Sutcliffe has trained young spinal surgeons, as training director in his NHS career and as supervisor for the spinal fellowship at the London Spine Clinic and London Clinic Hospital. He runs a regular teaching and training program within the Clinic, in both surgical and non-surgical aspects of spine care.
Contact details:
Ingrid Butler
I.Butler@thelondonclinic.co.uk
020 7616 7720
https://www.londonspineclinic.com
George Bownes
Consultant In Sports And Exercise Medicine |
Specialist in Sport and Musculoskeletal Medicine with experience across NHS, military and elite sport environments. Founder of Citius Health and former Tournament Physician at Wimbledon, he has worked with Olympic athletes and elite rugby teams.
Caspar Aylott
Consultant Spine Surgeon |London
Mr Caspar Aylott is a Consultant Spine Surgeon in London. He has extensive experience in all types of orthopaedic and spinal problems. Outside his direct clinical work Mr Aylott is passionate about high quality teaching, delivering many relevant, interesting and engaging talks.
Keith Bush
Consultant Orthopaedic & Sports Physician |London
After qualifying at the Royal Free Hospital, London in 1978, Dr Bush studied with James Cyriax to become an Orthopaedic Physician. He conducted a number of studies on the use of injection techniques in the management of spinal pain throughout the 80’s and 90’s, publishing in peer review journals such as ‘Spine’ and was awarded his Doctorate by London University in 1992. He has since been in private practice in Harley Street and The London Clinic since 1983. He held Honorary Consultant Orthopaedic Surgical posts at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, London in 1994 and 1995 and has been on the GMC Specialist Register since 1996. He was an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College from 2002 – 2005, and elected as a Founding Fellow of the Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine in 2006.
Nikos Malliaropoulos
Sports And Exercise Medicine Consultant |
Dr Nikos Malliaropoulos is a Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine and Reader at Queen Mary University of London, practicing at the Sports Clinic of Bart’s Health NHS Trust and directing the Thessaloniki Sports Medicine Clinic. He previously served as Director of the Sports Medicine Clinic for the Hellenic National Track and Field Association (1986–2017) and Chief Medical Officer for the Hellenic Olympic Team at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. A Fellow of the UK Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine and founding member and current General Secretary of the European College of Sports and Exercise Physicians (ECOSEP), he combines extensive clinical, academic, and leadership experience. His expertise includes musculoskeletal injury diagnosis, rehabilitation, ultrasonography, and image-guided interventions, with emphasis on muscle, tendon, and bone stress injuries. He has authored approximately 100 peer-reviewed publications and maintains active involvement in teaching, research, and elite sport, informed by his background as a Balkan Judo Champion and senior coach.
Naeem Ahmed
Consultant Radiologist |London
Dr Na’eem Ahmed, Consultant Radiologist, graduated from Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Medical School with the St Thomas’ Hospital cup graduation prize and GKT Shield for outstanding contribution to the medical school. He served as the British Medical Association GKT ISC-Chair and President of the Student Medical Education Committee that represents the academic interests of over 2,000 medical students.
He completed academic foundation training at King’s College London, receiving the ‘outstanding trainee’ award whilst also serving as trainee representative for South Thames Foundation School. His research focused on the role of alveolar nitric oxide in sickle cell disease. He has also published and presented internationally on reducing health inequality and improving patient participation and access to health services.
Na’eem was recently appointed as a member of the editorial board for the Royal College of Physicians publication Clinical Medicine and also as a blogger for the Health Services Journal. He is currently a visiting Quality Improvement Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Honorary Research Fellow at King’s College London.
Passionate about innovation and an advocate for a patient-led NHS, Na’eem will be working at the NHS Commissioning Board alongside Professor Sir Bruce Keogh and Deputy Medical Director Professor Steve Field, helping to create a national strategy to reduce health inequalities.
- Full access to the Oryon Spinal Symposium
- Hours of CPD with certificate of attendance
- Refreshments throughout the day
- Access to post-event resources (slides and selected recordings, where available)
- Eligibility for on-the-day offers and delegate-only updates
Places are limited to ensure a high-quality educational environment. Early booking is strongly recommended.
Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Physiotherapists, Podiatrists, Sports Therapists, Hand Therapists, Radiographers, Occupational Therapists, GP, Public, Other Health Professionals, Trainee Health Professionals, Students
Buy now
Add to basket
Date and time
Thursday 23rd April
09:00 - 17:00
Price
£150
Speaker
Oryon Academy Spinal Symposium Speakers
Consultants Of Various Specialities
Location
Royal Society of Medicine
1 Wimpole Street, London
W1G 0AE
