Dr. Liam Fitzgerald

Dr. Liam Fitzgerald is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Christchurch Hospital and Southern Cross Hospital Christchurch, serving the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. With 17 years of specialist orthopaedic experience, Dr. Fitzgerald is a leading practitioner in joint replacement surgery and sports medicine orthopaedics.

Dr. Fitzgerald trained in New Zealand and completed an international fellowship in joint reconstruction at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York, one of the world's foremost centres for musculoskeletal care. Since returning to Christchurch, he has established a high-volume practice performing over 300 joint replacement procedures annually, as well as a dedicated sports surgery list for active New Zealanders and professional athletes.

Dr. Fitzgerald is actively involved with Canterbury Rugby Football Union's medical panel and provides orthopaedic support to elite rugby players and community sports teams. He is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago's Christchurch campus and trains orthopaedic surgical registrars.

Dr. Fitzgerald completed his MBChB at the University of Otago, followed by his orthopaedic surgical training through the Australasian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) training programme. He was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in Orthopaedic Surgery.

He undertook a 12-month joint reconstruction fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, gaining advanced experience in primary and revision hip and knee arthroplasty, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and robotic-assisted joint replacement. He also holds a Diploma of Sports Medicine and completed advanced arthroscopy training at the Australian Orthopaedic Association Arthroscopy Course.

Dr. Fitzgerald's surgical practice encompasses primary and revision total hip and knee replacement, anterior approach hip arthroplasty, and robotic-assisted knee replacement. He performs over 300 joint replacements annually and is one of Christchurch's most experienced arthroplasty surgeons.

In sports orthopaedics, Dr. Fitzgerald performs arthroscopic knee surgery including ACL reconstruction (hamstring and BPTB graft), meniscal repair and meniscectomy, and cartilage procedures. Shoulder surgery includes arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, Bankart stabilisation, and shoulder replacement. He manages complex orthopaedic trauma in the acute setting at Christchurch Hospital.

Dr. Fitzgerald has published 30 peer-reviewed papers in the New Zealand Medical Journal, Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the Bone and Joint Journal, with a research focus on outcomes of anterior approach hip arthroplasty, ACL graft selection, and post-surgical rehabilitation protocols.

He has received project funding from the Wishbone Trust (New Zealand's orthopaedic research foundation) and presents regularly at the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting. He is a peer reviewer for the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery and contributes to the AOA Clinical Practice Guidelines Committee.

Dr. Fitzgerald welcomes patients from Australia, Pacific island nations, and further afield who travel to Christchurch for elective orthopaedic surgery. Christchurch Hospital and Southern Cross Hospital Christchurch offer excellent facilities for joint replacement and sports surgery, and the city's geography and climate make it an appealing destination for those combining medical travel with recovery.

Video consultations are available to allow international patients to discuss their X-rays and MRI scans, explore surgical options, and plan their visit before travelling. Dr. Fitzgerald's team can provide referral letters, post-operative care instructions for local follow-up, and physiotherapy protocols for rehabilitation on return home.

Dr. Fitzgerald has received the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association Best Paper Award, the AOA International Fellowship Award supporting his HSS fellowship, and recognition from Canterbury DHB for innovations in anterior hip replacement technique. He was appointed to the New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) orthopaedic advisory panel and contributes to ACC's clinical guidelines for knee and shoulder injury management.