An orthopaedic engineer with 15 years’ experience in implant research, development and regulation.

Dr Harry Hothi, BEng, MSc, PhD

My background is in mechanical (BEng) and orthopaedic (MSc, PhD) engineering. I have extensive experience of working closely with spine, hip and knee surgeons, hospital R&D teams within the NHS and Europe, healthcare regulators, notified bodies, academic researchers, engineers, scientists and orthopaedic manufacturers.

I have published 85 peer-reviewed journal papers with over 110 co-authors on research relating to the analysis of new and retrieved orthopaedic implants (post-market surveillance). This has led to more than 150 abstracts accepted for podium presentation at international conferences in Europe and the US.

My key research themes have included the analysis of metal-on-metal hip implants, dual-taper stem hips, knee implants and medical imaging, magnetically controlled growing spine rods and lower-limb nails, additive manufactured implants and the use of blood metal ion testing to monitor the function of implants.

I have run independent service and research projects, funded by manufacturers including DePuy, Stryker, K2M and NuVasive/Globus Medical. I have a working knowledge of UK/EU medical devices regulations, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, ISO 12891 and ASTM F561, am experienced in report writing for the MHRA, and I am an explant alliance advisor to the Beyond Compliance initiative. I also provide expert engineering advice in medical-legal cases and offer an independent orthopaedic engineering consultancy service. 

I’m currently the Implant Science Fellow of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH), in Stanmore, England.

This unique role has enabled me to work as a research engineer within the NHS, where I have gained extensive experience of collaborating with clinicians, following the pathway of medical devices, post-market surveillance and the incorporation of clinical and medical imaging data to improve the function of orthopaedic implants.

I’m also the Engineering Director of the London Implant Retrieval Centre (LIRC), based at the RNOH, working along side two Orthopaedic Surgeon Directors.

The LIRC has focussed on understanding the mechanisms of failure of metal-on-metal hip implants and was the worldwide retrieval centre for the DePuy ASR hip, funded by the manufacturer.

I hold an Honorary Associate Professor position within the Mechanical Engineering Department at University College London (UCL).

I’m a co-lead of a clinical-engineering MSc teaching module and have successfully supervised 5 PhD students and 12 MSc/BSc students to completion.