Mr (Barry) Shaun O'Brien

Mr Shaun O’Brien is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in soft tissue knee reconstruction, knee arthroplasty, foot surgery, and trauma surgery. He graduated with honours from Newcastle Medical School in 1990 and has dedicated his career to orthopaedic surgery.

Following completion of his specialist registrar training in the Northern Region, Mr O’Brien developed a particular interest in knee and trauma surgery, with a focus on soft tissue injuries around the knee.

To further develop his expertise, he undertook a prestigious fellowship in knee and sports medicine at the Brisbane Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Centre in Australia. During this time, he gained extensive experience in advanced arthroscopic knee techniques, including ligament reconstruction, meniscal repair, and articular surface defect resurfacing.

While in Brisbane, Mr O’Brien worked closely with elite athletes and was part of the orthopaedic medical teams supporting the Queensland Reds (rugby union), Brisbane Broncos (rugby league), and the Brisbane Bullets (basketball). He also collaborated with the physiotherapy department at the University of Queensland, undertaking research into ACL reconstruction, rehabilitation, and shoulder stabilisation.

Mr O’Brien later completed a further fellowship in trauma surgery at the internationally renowned Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, working under the mentorship of leading trauma surgeon Professor David Helfet.

Mr O’Brien currently holds a Consultant post at Sunderland Royal Hospital. His clinical practice focuses on knee replacement surgery, knee arthroscopy, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, and sports‑related knee injuries.

With over 20 years of consultant experience, he has performed more than 5,000 total knee replacements, 1,000 partial knee replacements, and 1,500 ACL reconstructions, and also manages a substantial revision knee replacement practice.