BOA
Robert Jones Medal Winner 2026
Joint Preservation Specialist
Can your joint still be saved before replacement?
Professor Paul Lee offers specialist perspective on cartilage, joint preservation, and more individual decisions before replacement becomes the default.
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. Knee, hip and sports surgery, Harley Street, London.
For patients who have been told replacement may be the next step, and want to understand if anything else may still be possible.
For UK and international patients, professionals, and decision-makers seeking clarity when the standard pathway may not always be the whole answer.
Defining Moments
Two milestones that frame the work
Two decades of frontline NHS service, and a national medal recognising thought and contribution to the orthopaedic profession.
NHS Long Service Award
20+ years of service with the NHS
Recognised in 2026 by Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group Trust for two decades of frontline practice, surgical leadership, and translational research across musculoskeletal and regenerative care.
“Great care is never delivered by individuals working in isolation.”Read the news coverage
2026 Winner
British Orthopaedic Association · 2026
Robert Jones Medal & Association Prize
Recovery in the Age of Intelligence— Why humility may be the surgeon's most powerful tool.
“Humility keeps patients safe. Humility keeps our profession human. Humility turns intelligence into wisdom.”Read the Prize-Winning Paper
As Featured In
Regenerative Orthopaedic Surgeon
Cartilage & Joint Preservation Specialist
ProfessorSurgeonAuthor
Trusted by UK and international patients seeking specialist perspective.
A leading knee and hip surgeon, who asks what can be saved first
Professor Paul Lee is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon performing the full range of well-proven knee, hip and sports surgery, from ACL reconstruction to total joint replacement.
That mastery of the gold standard is what lets him ask the next question. What alternatives may still be possible before replacement becomes the default, and what can still be preserved, repaired, or regenerated.
His work is centred around helping patients and professionals think more clearly about that decision, including specialist second opinions when the pathway is not entirely clear, and knowing when replacement is genuinely the right answer.
Because for many patients the question is not just about pain, but about preserving function, identity, and quality of life.
The full range of care
A master of the gold standard, and of what comes next
Professor Lee performs the conventional, well-proven orthopaedic surgery patients expect of a leading knee, hip and sports surgeon. His pioneering techniques exist because of that mastery, as proof of it, not instead of it.
Knee replacement
Gold standard
Total and partial knee replacement
Gold-standard knee arthroplasty with kinematic alignment and careful soft-tissue balancing, partial replacement where disease is confined to one compartment.
Pioneering advance
TWIS-TKR
A motion-capture and AI-informed knee replacement that builds on that arthroplasty mastery to refine alignment for the individual joint.
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Hip replacement
Gold standard
Total hip replacement and resurfacing
High-volume hip arthroplasty, cemented, cementless and short-stem options and Birmingham Hip Resurfacing, trained through the Exeter Hip Reconstruction Fellowship.
Pioneering advance
SPAIRE and Bikini-incision approaches
Soft-tissue-sparing surgical approaches he practises to protect function and speed recovery once replacement is the right answer.
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Cartilage
Gold standard
ACI, MACI, osteochondral grafting and microfracture
The established, gold-standard cartilage repair repertoire, delivered through the ICRS Accredited Teaching Centre of Excellence pathway.
Pioneering advance
STACi and Liquid Cartilage with ChondroFiller
Single-stage and co-delivery techniques that grew out of that cartilage-repair foundation. ChondroFiller is manufactured by Meidrix Biomedicals GmbH.
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ACL and sports knee
Gold standard
ACL reconstruction with named grafts
Gold-standard ligament reconstruction with hamstring, patellar tendon or quadriceps graft, plus MPFL reconstruction and patellofemoral stabilisation.
Pioneering advance
STARR augmented ACL repair
A graft-sparing repair, in suitable cases, developed from a deep grounding in reconstruction and the wider augmented-repair evidence.
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Meniscus
Gold standard
Meniscus repair and root repair
Preservation-first meniscus surgery, repairing in preference to removal wherever the tear pattern allows, to protect the long-term joint.
Pioneering advance
Augmented meniscus repair
Cell and platelet-rich fibrin augmentation that extends repair to tears at the limit of standard technique.
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Injections
Gold standard
Image-guided injection and orthobiologics
Precise diagnostic and therapeutic image-guided injection, and the full range of orthobiologics: PRP, PRF, BMAC, microfragmented adipose tissue, hyaluronic acid and ACP.
Pioneering advance
Arthrosamid protocol
One of the first and most extensive Arthrosamid practices in the UK, built on years of image-guided injection expertise.
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A more individual way to think about joint decisions
Not every patient fits a standard pathway. The goal is not simply to do more — but to understand what is most appropriate, at the right time, for the right joint.
This framework is not about doing more — it is about making the right decision first.
Preserve
Protect what is still working. Slowing wear, calming inflammation, and giving the joint the chance to keep functioning before deeper intervention is considered.
Repair
Fix what has specifically broken — a torn meniscus, a damaged ligament, a kneecap off its track. Restoring structure while timing is still on the patient’s side.
Regenerate
Rebuild biology where possible. Working with tissue, timing, and the body’s environment — supporting healing rather than overriding it.
Replace
When replacement is genuinely the right step — not simply the first default. A decision earned through everything that came before.
Who tends to seek this expertise?
From a first specialist opinion on knee, hip or sports joint pain through to the cases where the standard pathway is not the whole answer.
People with knee, hip or sports joint pain who want a clear diagnosis and a considered plan
Those seeking a specialist second opinion before committing to surgery
Active individuals with an ACL, cartilage or meniscus injury looking for the right next step
Patients who have been told replacement may be the next step
Patients wanting to understand what alternatives to joint replacement may still be possible
UK and international patients seeking specialist knee, hip and cartilage expertise
Why patients and professionals seek Professor Lee
Professor Lee's work sits at the intersection of clinical practice, regenerative thinking, surgical judgement, and engineering-led systems — bringing a more thoughtful approach to decisions that are often treated too routinely.
He is increasingly sought by patients, professionals, and collaborators in the UK and internationally for specialist perspective on cartilage, joint preservation, and more individual decisions before replacement.
Specialist Perspective
Focused on cartilage, joint preservation, and decisions before replacement.
More Individual Decision-Making
Not every patient, joint, or pathway should be approached in the same way.
Cross-Disciplinary Thinking
Combining surgery, science, engineering, and regenerative frameworks to think more clearly about what may still be possible.
Trusted When the Decision Requires Deeper Consideration
When clarity, judgement, and timing matter more than simply moving to the next default step.
A destination for patients seeking specialist perspective when the standard pathway may not feel sufficient.
Philosophy
Regeneration Made Simple™
At the heart of Professor Lee's work is a simple belief:
Not every joint should be placed on a standard pathway.
Good decisions come from understanding tissue, timing, function, environment, and biology — and recognising when preservation, repair, regeneration, or replacement is truly the right path.
This philosophy underpins his clinical work, research, writing, and wider contribution to the future of musculoskeletal care.
Clinical authority beyond the consultation room
Professor Lee's work extends beyond clinical practice into education, research, publishing, innovation, and public thought leadership — helping shape how regenerative orthopaedics, cartilage repair, and joint preservation are understood more broadly.
With over two decades of clinical experience across NHS and private practice, his work brings together surgery, science, engineering, and education around the future of musculoskeletal care.
International keynote — European Academy
Royal Society of MedicineBooks & Editorial Work
Authored and edited key texts in regenerative orthopaedics, cartilage science, and sports medicine — contributing to how the next generation of clinicians learns and thinks.
ExploreResearch & Innovation
Original research spanning cartilage repair, joint preservation frameworks, bioengineering concepts, and clinical outcome measurement.
ExploreMedia & Speaking
Invited keynotes, expert commentary, podcasts, and press features — translating complex science into accessible, honest public insight.
ExplorePublications & Academic Contribution
Over 100 peer-reviewed publications, editorial board roles, and academic contributions shaping international standards of practice.
ExploreFeatured · Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview
Exclusive Highlights · 7–14 May 2026
From Replacement to Regeneration.
Brainz Magazine's exclusive long-form interview with Professor Paul Lee — on cartilage, joint preservation, the limits of “wear and tear,” and the shift from endpoint-driven thinking to a structured preserve, repair, regenerate, replace framework.
The biggest shift will be in mindset — from fixing problems to optimising systems over time.
Before replacement
Why timing — not the operation — is the question.
Systems-based
Structure, movement, biology and recovery — together.
TEDx-bound
A wider conversation on healthy ageing and recovery.
Latest Release 2025
Springer · Academic Textbook
Edited by Professor Paul Lee
Featured Publication
Musculoskeletal Regeneration Medicine
A definitive academic textbook bridging regenerative orthopaedic surgery with AI-driven diagnostics, next-generation orthobiologics, and engineering-led clinical thinking.
Orthobiologics & Gene Therapy
AI-Driven Diagnostics
Engineering-Led Systems
Clinical Frameworks
Global Influence & Recognition
A Globally Recognised
Authority & Educator
Where would you like to go next?
This site is designed to help you understand the perspective behind the work. If you are looking for the right next step, you can explore the relevant pathway below.
Clinical Assessment & Treatment
For specialist assessment, treatment pathways, and decisions before replacement.
Explore Clinical Pathways
Recovery & Optimisation
For pre-operative preparation, post-operative support, and structured recovery pathways.
Explore Regen
Regional Orthopaedic Access
For practical orthopaedic pathways and regional patient care.
Explore MSK DoctorsProfessional
Professional & Strategic Enquiries
For medico-legal, speaking, advisory, innovation, and collaboration enquiries.
Work With Prof LeeClinical Network & Compliance
Partnerships & AffiliationsCollaborating with leading institutions and innovators
The full repertoire, and the judgement to use it well
Professor Lee performs the well-proven knee, hip and sports surgery patients expect, and the pioneering techniques that grew out of it. For some patients the most important decision is not simply what comes next, but whether a more thoughtful, more individual, more specialist approach should come first. That is often where the right pathway begins.