Kevin Hardinge

11th July 1939 – 8th October 2025

Obituary by Maxine Hardinge

Kevin Hardinge FRCS MChOrth, retired consultant orthopaedic surgeon, died on 8th October 2025 from lymphoma. Born in the Isle of Man on 11th July 1939, he attended Douglas High School for Boys and studied medicine at Liverpool University Medical school from 1957–1962. Training posts were at Liverpool and Warrington Infirmaries, followed by a Senior Registrar attachment at Wrightington Hospital, where he worked under Sir John Charnley. He was a Hunterian Professor of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1971, and in 1973 was appointed as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon first at Manchester Royal Infirmary, and then at Wrightington Hospital where he worked from 1976–1999. He was made an Honorary Lecturer in Orthopaedics, Victoria University of Manchester in 1987, and was awarded the Robert Jones Gold Medal from the British Orthopaedic Association in 1990 (Proxime Accessit).

His career centred on advancements in joint replacement surgery, developing the Direct Lateral Approach to hip replacement in 1982, knee and hip arthroplasties (Duo-Glide Knee and Bio Conical Hip), a cemented hip replacement (Wrightington frusto-conical stem) and the ‘Hardinge Cement Restrictor’.

Internationally recognised, he gave invited lectures at 94 national and 75 international meetings. He chaired and participated in Joint replacement programmes for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology (SICOT), European Federation of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) and the NATO International Scientific Exchange Programme.

From 1991–1993 he was an elected member of BOA Council, and from 1992–1998 a member of the BOA Infection Working Party. From 1992–1996 he was a Member of Editorial Committee, Journal Bone and Joint Surgery, and in 1997 became Chairman of the Arthritis Research Trust.

At Wrightington he was Clinical Director, Division Orthopaedic Surgery, from 1992–1994, and a Trustee and later Chairman in 1995 of the Wrightington Hospital Education Centre Trust.

Alongside his professional career, he had a passion for jazz, motor racing and classic cars. He leaves his wife, two daughters, and five grandchildren, one of whom is an orthopaedic registrar in training.