Research & Teaching

Dr Michael Symes is committed to the continual research and advancement of orthopaedic surgery. He is an internationally recognised researcher, who practices evidence based medicine and utilises the latest evidence and technology to optimise patient outcomes and accelerate recovery.

Dr Symes’ research is focused predominantly on ankle replacements, foot and ankle reconstruction and trauma, and most recently COVID and its impact on orthopaedic surgery. Dr Symes encourages his patients to enrol in studies, not only to provide them access to new and advanced techniques, but also to assist in the collection of clinical data to aid in research and improvement of patient outcomes.

Through his dedication to research, Dr Symes has been fortunate enough to have numerous published work in peer reviewed journals, presented at multiple international and national meetings and is currently involved in national and multi-national studies and trials.

 

research and teaching achievements

  • Appointed at two Level 1 Tertiary Teaching Hospitals

  • Conjoint Senior Lecturer UNSW

  • Mentors and trains medical students, interns/residents, orthopaedic advanced trainees and fellows

  • Founder of the Sydney Orthoaepdic Foot and Ankle Research Institute (SOFARI) and Registry

  • Founder of The Spinal and Orthopaedic Research Epidemiology Database (SORTED) at Royal North Shore Hospital

 

PUBLICATIONS

  1. Symes M, Le B, Le M, et al. Pseudoaneurysm of the medial plantar artery following low-energy closed calcaneal fracture. ANZ J Surg 2021. doi: 10.1111/ans.16592.

  2. Symes M, Younger A, Escudero M, et al. The Impact of Concomitant LOW Back Pain (LBP) on Functional Outcomes in Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA). J Foot Ankle Surg 2021;60(1):80-84. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2020.08.031.

  3. Symes M, Younger A, Escudero M, et al. The Impact of Concomitant Ipsilateral Knee Pain on Functional Outcomes in Total Ankle Arthroplasty. Foot Ankle Spec 2020:1938640020950893. doi: 10.1177/1938640020950893.

  4. Probert A, Sivakumar B, An V, Nicholls S, Shatrov J, Symes M and Ellis A. Impact of COVID-19-related social restrictions on orthopaedic trauma in a level 1 trauma centre in Sydney: the first wave. ANZ J Surg 2021;91(1-2):68-72. doi: 10.1111/ans.16375.

  5. Gagne O, Symes M, Younger A, Escudero M, Penner M, Wing K and Veljkovic A. High Pain Catastrophizing Score predicts poor outcome in the complex foot and ankle patient. Foot and Ankle Orthopaedics4(4):2473011419S0002 2019 DOI: 10.1177/2473011419S00023

  6. Koong DP, Symes M, Sefton AK, Sivakumar BS, Ellis A. Management of lower limb fractures in patients with spinal cord injuries. ANZ J Surg 2020. doi: 10.1111/ans.15924.

  7. Sivakumar BS, Athreya PJ, Symes M et al. Internal degloving injury of the foot. ANZ J Surg 2019. doi: 10.1111/ans.15465.

  8. Younger A, Veljkovic A, Symes M, Al Baluki W. Advanced Techniques in Arthroscopy of the Foot. In: Canata GL, d'Hooghe P, Hunt KJ, Kerkhoffs GMMJ, Longo UG, eds. Sports Injuries of the Foot and Ankle: A Focus on Advanced Surgical Techniques. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer 2019:207-222

  9. Escudero M, Symes M, Le V, Barahona M, et al. Total Ankle Arthroplasty Survival and Risk Factors for Failure. Foot Ankle Int 2019:1071100719849084. doi: 10.1177/1071100719849084.

  10. Le V, Escudero M, Symes M, et al. Impact of Sagittal Talar Inclination on Total Ankle Replacement Failure. Foot Ankle Int 2019:1071100719847183. doi: 10.1177/1071100719847183

  11. Escudero MI, Symes M, Bemenderfer TB, et al. Does Patient-Specific Instrumentation Have a Higher Rate of Early Osteolysis Than Standard Referencing Techniques in Total Ankle Arthroplasty? A Radiographic Analysis. Foot Ankle Spec 2019:1938640019828069. doi: 10.1177/1938640019828069.

  12. Veljkovic A, Symes M, Younger A, et al. Neurovascular and Clinical Outcomes of the Percutaneous Endoscopically Assisted Calcaneal Osteotomy (PECO) Technique to Correct Hindfoot Malalignment. Foot Ankle Int 2019;40(2):178-184. doi: 10.1177/1071100718800983. 

  13. Symes M, Veljkovic A, Penner M, Younger A, Younger A, Wing K. The Other Adjacent Joint:Knee Pain in Ankle Arthroplasty and Ankle Arthrodesis: A COFAS Study. Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics 2018;3(3):2473011418S00122. doi: 10.1177/2473011418s00122.

  14. Symes M, Younger A, Penner M, Veljkovic A, Wing K. The Impact of Lower Back Pain on Functional Outcomes for Ankle Arthritis Treated with Arthroplasty and Arthrodesis:A COFAS Study. Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics 2018;3(3):2473011418S00121. doi: 10.1177/2473011418s00121.

  15. Escudero MI, Symes M, Veljkovic A, Younger ASE. Low-Energy Lisfranc Injuries in an Athletic Population: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature and the Role of Minimally Invasive Techniques in Their Management. Foot Ankle Clin 2018;23(4):679-692. doi: 10.1016/j.fcl.2018.07.014.

  16. Isaacs JD, Baba M, Huang P, Symes M, Guzman M, Nandapalan H, et al. The diagnostic accuracy of Bohler's angle in fractures of the calcaneus. J Emerg Med. 2013;45(6):879-84.

  17. Symes M, Waddington G, Adams R. Depth of ankle inversion and discrimination of foot positions. Percept Mot Skills. 2010;111(2):475-84.

  18. Symes M, Escudero M, Abdulla I, Veljkovic A, Paquette S, Younger ASE. Boots Are Not Made for Driving: A Cautionary Case Report About the Dangers of Driving in a CAM Walker Boot and Literature Review. Foot Ankle Spec 2018:1938640018790057. doi: 10.1177/1938640018790057.

  19. Franks D, Shatrov J, Symes M, Little DG, Cheng TL. Cannulated screw versus Kirschner-wire fixation for Milch II lateral condyle fractures in a paediatric sawbone model: a biomechanical comparison. J Child Orthop. 2018;12(1):29-35.

  20. Baba M, Leon JV, Symes M, Dorrestijn O, Young A, Cass B. Clinical outcomes and safety of distal biceps repair using a modified entry point. ANZ J Surg. 2017;87(5):376-9

  21. Pananwala H, Jabbar Y, Mills L, Symes M, Nandapalan H, Sefton A, et al. Tibial tunnel defect size as a risk factor in growth arrest following paediatric transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an anatomical study. ANZ J Surg. 2016;86(9):691-5.

  22. Symes M, Harris IA, Limbers J, Joshi M. SOFIE: Surgery for Olecranon Fractures in the Elderly: a randomised controlled trial of operative versus non-operative treatment. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015;16:324

  23. Abdulla IN, Molony DC, Symes M, Cass B. Radial head replacement with pyrocarbon prosthesis: early clinical results. ANZ J Surg. 2015;85(5):368-72

  24. Paterson H, See V, Seitz M, Symes M, Lu J, Thomas L. LVOTO following mitral prosthetic insertion with full retention of the native valve apparatus. Heart, Lung and Circulation. 2009;18(1):71-2

  25. Stace S, Symes M, Gillett M. A Comparison of Two Commonly Used Methods for Securing Intravenous Cannulas. Journal of Acute Medicine. 2017;7(2):61-6

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS

  1. High Pain Catastrophizing Score predicts poor outcome in the complex foot and ankle patient. 2019 American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Annual Meeting – Chicago USA

  2. The Impact of Lower Back Pain on Functional Outcomes for Ankle Arthritis Treated with Arthroplasty and Arthrodesis: A COFAS Study. 2019 Canadian Orthopaedic Association ASM – Montreal Canada

  3. The Impact of Concomitant Low-Back Pain on Functional Outcomes for Ankle Arthritis treated with Total Ankle Arthroplasty. 2019 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting – Las Vegas USA

  4. Does Patient-specific Instrumentation Have a Higher Rate of Early Osteolysis than Standard Referencing Techniques in Total Ankle Arthroplasty?: A Radiological Analysis. 2018 American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Annual Scientific Meeting. Chicago USA

  5. The Other Adjacent Joint: Knee Pain in Ankle Arthroplasty and Ankle Arthrodesis: A COFAS Study Michael Symes. 2018 American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Annual Scientific Meeting. Chicago USA

  6. The Impact of Lower Back Pain on Functional Outcomes for Ankle Arthritis Treated with Arthroplasty and Arthrodesis: A COFAS Study. 2018 American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Annual Scientific Meeting. Chicago USA

  7. The Impact Preoperative Knee Pain on Ankle Arthroplasty and Ankle Arthrodesis. 2018 Canadian Orthopaedic ASM, Victoria Canada.

  8. Other Adjacent Joint: The Effect of Ankle Arthroplasty and Ankle Arthrodesis on the Development of Post Operative Knee Pain. 2018 Canadian Orthopaedic ASM, Victoria Canada.

  9. “The great service registrar debate: Should all service registrar positions be converted to accredited training registrar posts irrespective of future medical workforce need?” Invited Speaker. AMA Trainee Forum, St Leonards, February 2015.

  10. “Safe Guidewire Entry Point for Distal Biceps Tendon Repairs: An Anatomical Study with Clinical Correlation.” AORA Annual Meeting, Melbourne, October 2014

  11. “Subaxial Injury Classification Treatment Recommendations for Unilateral Isolated, Non-Displaced or Minimally Displaced Cervical Facet Fractures – Retrospective Review of 33 Patients.” AORA Annual Meeting, Melbourne, October 2014

  12. “Orthopaedic Emergencies and Other Dislocations.” Invited Speaker. Australian Navy Medical Training Forum, St Leonards, March 2014.

  13. “The diagnostic accuracy of Böhler's angle in fractures of the calcaneus.” Southern Highlands Orthopaedic Group Annual Meeting, Bowral, October 2014.

  14. “The Lateral Approach for Total Knee Arthroplasty: Perioperative Factors and Outcomes at 12 months are Equal to Medial Approach.” AOA ASM, Adelaide, October 2010.

FAQs

If you are interested in being involved in a clinical trial, check out the following answers to a range of commonly asked questions.

 

DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE?

Of course not, the choice is entirely yours, and you can opt out of research participation at any time.

why would i participate?

Through clinical trials we gather more evidence and research which can lead to faster diagnosis and improved patient results for everyone. Participating in certain clinical trails may also allow patients to access newer treatments that would otherwise not be available.

IS IT EVIDENCE BASED?

100% Yes! There’s nothing experimental about research and Dr Michael strongly follows and adheres to all industry protocols and obtains ethics approval for all his research projects.

DO YOU PROFIT OFF ANY RESEARCH OR IMPLANTS?

Dr Symes does not benefit or profit from any implant and neither does he collect any royalties from the research.

CAN MY DATA BE IDENTIFIED OR USED AGAINST ME?

No. All data is collected in a de-identified fashion, and securely stored for research purposed only.