Brian Fitzgerald

He then embarked on a surgical career via the west of Scotland surgical training scheme, gaining broad experience in several specialities to allow him to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow in 1973.

This experience stood him in good stead when he entered his chosen field of orthopaedic and trauma surgery in 1974, initially at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow. Perhaps the influence of his engineer father had a significant impact on his choice of surgical speciality, maintaining a lifelong interest in matters mechanical, whether surgical or not.

He then gained further surgical experience as a senior registrar at Glasgow Royal Infirmary between 1977 and 1980 before his consultant's appointment at Kilmarnock Infirmary in 1980 and then Crosshouse Hospital in 1982, where he remained in NHS practice until 2004.

During his time at the Royal Infirmary, he had the foresight to study for and gain the FRCS Ed Orth degree, one of the first orthopaedic surgeons to sit the then fledging examination, now a standard stepping stone in speciality training.

Significantly, during this time he had a six-month fellowship in Toronto where he gained valuable experience in further developing his interests and skills in arthroscopy of the knee under one of the world leading experts.

He had a profound influence in encouraging many trainees subsequently in developing their arthroscopy skills, both by clinical example and on teaching courses.

Any progressive clinical service relies on new blood and new ideas and he certainly brought many of these ideas to Kilmarnock Infirmary and Crosshouse Hospital. His typical enthusiasm for modern fracture treatment, a constantly evolving scene, brought vigour and a new impetus to the management of trauma.

His interest in arthroscopy altered the face of assessment and treatment of knee conditions and injuries. He had a constant interest and enthusiasm for the evolving surgical treatments of knee ligament injuries, bringing him into contact in particular with the young - or not so young - sportsperson.

His arrival also resulted in the rapid development of knee replacement surgery, a then relatively new type of surgery, whose popularity has escalated such that it is now more commonly carried out than even hip replacements in many hospitals.

This elective surgical workload was initially carried out while maintaining a heavy on-call commitment as part of a two-man team, now expanded to eight surgeons. In addition to his NHS workload, he practised privately both in Glasgow and Ayrshire.

His clinical work was suddenly curtailed by the onset of severe cardiac ill health which led to premature retirement in 2005. His enjoyment of retirement was marred by his condition, despite having extensive medical and surgical treatment. He, however, maintained a significant interest in recent developments in the speciality, not least the engineering aspects.

Fitzgerald had an interest in, but unfortunately too little time, for playing golf, being a member of Barassie and Royal Troon golf clubs. But his abiding interest, however, was in weightlifting and this continued from university until ill health intervened.

He had a passionate interest in the work of Burns and often entertained with recitals of the Bard's work. As with many other interests, this was pursued and practised with vigour. Fitzgerald will be remembered with fondness and respect by many colleagues, friends and particularly by many patients whose lives were improved by his surgical skills.

He is survived by his wife Anne, sons Brian and Stuart, and daughter Frances. Much happiness was brought into his retirement by his grandchildren Bryony and more recently Michael.

Iain Mackay