Reginald Arnold Elson

30th September 1930 – 22nd October 2025

Obituary by Ian Stockley and Andrew J Hamer

Reg Elson, retired Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, died on the 22nd October 2025.

He was a gifted, inquisitive surgeon and was one of the first to scientifically address the challenges of revision hip arthroplasty surgery following periprosthetic joint infection.

He was born in London on 30th September 1930. Educated at East Ham Grammar School for Boys, he thought of a musical career, but an accident to his right index finger flexor tendon changed his plans. He chose medicine and read Natural Sciences at Jesus College Cambridge, followed by clinical training at The London Hospital, qualifying in 1954. His surgical and orthopaedic training was undertaken in London and Oswestry, but an interest in hip arthroplasty led him to Wrightington.

In 1967, he was appointed Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. His time with Charnley impressed upon him the significant benefits hip arthroplasty brought. However, the devastating complication of periprosthetic infection troubled him, so in order to learn more, he spent a year with Professor Buchholz at the EndoKlinik, Hamburg. The practises he brought back are now commonplace in many hospitals today.

In 1992, he was a founding member of the European Hip Society and President in 2000. He was President of the British Hip Society 1994 – 96. He was also a prominent member of the International Hip Society and founder member of the European Society for Bone and Joint Infection.

Reg was the brainchild behind the creation of the Cavendish Hip Fellowship in Sheffield, that offered advanced training in primary and revision hip arthroplasty surgery.

Music remained a passion throughout his life; spending many hours playing the organ that he had built at home.

He was a warm, generous man and had a wide network of friends and colleagues across the globe.

In 1955, at The London Hospital, he met Patsy, where they were both junior doctors. They married three years later. Reg leaves Patsy, their four children John, Linda, Elizabeth and David and seven grandchildren.

Reg was a true polymath: surgeon, teacher, leader, mentor, musician, yachtsman, linguist. Achieving excellence in anything he turned his attention to.