FY2026 HMDP VISITING EXPERT IN UPDATES IN ORTHOPAEDIC LIMB RECONSTRUCTION– PROF NANDO FERREIRA

Professor Nando Ferreira

BSc, MBChB, HDip Orth, MMed (Orth), FCOrth(SA), PhD

Full Professor

Head Clinical Unit: Tumour, Sepsis & Reconstruction

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,

Stellenbosch University & Tygerberg Hospital

Editor-in-Chief, South African Orthopaedic Journal

Promoted to full professor in 2020, Professor Nando Ferreira has led the Clinical Unit: Tumour, Sepsis and Reconstruction at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences since joining the institution in 2016. He specializes inmusculoskeletal infection and post-traumatic limb reconstruction and is internationally recognized for his contributions to the management of complex limb salvage, nonunion, and deformity correction. His clinical practice spans both the public and private sectors, with over 500 advanced limb reconstruction procedures performed annually at Tygerberg Hospital and Durbanville Mediclinic.

Prof. Ferreira holds a BSc in Human Physiology and Genetics and a medical degree from Stellenbosch University. He completed his orthopaedic training at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and pursued advanced training in the Ilizarov technique in Russia in 2011. His MMed research addressed the reconstruction of complex lower limb trauma, while his PhD, completed in 2015, focused on innovative strategies for the treatment of tibial nonunion—both areas that continue to shape his clinical and academic focus.

A passionate educator, Prof. Ferreira has supervised over 30 master’s students and five PhD candidates. He is the founding director of the Stellenbosch University Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Fellowship, which has attracted more than 85 international applicants and successfully trained 6 international fellows to date, generating over 33 peer-reviewed publications through these collaborations. He has secured more than R11 million in academic and industry funding to support his research, fellowship programmes, and clinical innovation in limb reconstruction and regenerative orthopaedics.

Outside of the university, Prof. Ferreira served as President of the South African Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society (2016–2023) and continues to play a key leadership role in orthopaedic education across Africa. As Editor-in-Chief of the South African Orthopaedic Journal, he is instrumental in shaping the region’s academic discourse and advancing publication standards.

A prolific academic, he has authored over 170 peer-reviewed journal articles and 15 book chapters. His research has appeared in leading journals including The Bone & Joint Journal, Injury, and the Journal of Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction, reflecting his continued impact on global orthopaedic science and practice.

Professor Nando Ferreira is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in the diagnosis, surgical management, and academic advancement of musculoskeletal infections, with a particular focus on chronic osteomyelitis, fracture-related infection (FRI), and infected non-unions. As Head of the Tumour, Sepsis, and Reconstruction Unit at Tygerberg Hospital since 2016, he has led one of the busiest infection-focused orthopaedic units in Africa, performing over 1,600 complex limb reconstruction surgeries from 2019–2024—many involving salvage procedures for deep infections and septic bone defects.

His surgical expertise spans debridement and implant retention (DAIR), single- and two-stage revisions, segmental bone transport using the Ilizarov method, and the use of advanced bioactive materials and antibiotic delivery systems in limb salvage. He is a key opinion leader in the development and application of classification systems for FRI and has actively contributed to validation efforts for infection grading systems within high-volume clinical databases.

Prof. Ferreira’s PhD on tibial nonunion treatment strategies laid a scientific foundation for many of his current approaches to managing infected and biologically compromised bone. His ongoing clinical research has been supported by over R11 million in industry and academic grants, enabling the generation of robust datasets and multidisciplinary collaborations. He has led or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed studies focused on infection-related complications and treatment outcomes, with publications appearing in high-impact journals such as Injury, The Bone & Joint Journal, and the Journal of Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction.

He has played a leading role in several international multicentre trials and registries—including the FROST Registry and Bactiguard studies—bringing African data to the global stage. As a passionate educator, he has supervised over 30 MMeds and 5 PhD students, many of whom have focused on topics related to musculoskeletal infection, biofilm resistance, and outcomes of complex sepsis surgeries.

His unit also serves as a regional referral centre for FRI and post-traumatic sepsis, seeing patients from across the Western Cape and neighbouring provinces. The Stellenbosch University Limb Reconstruction Fellowship, which he directs, provides international fellows hands-on exposure to high-acuity infections after training programmes of its kind on the continent.

Prof. Ferreira is a frequent invited speaker on infection management at international forums, including the Baltimore Limb Deformity Course, SICOT meetings, and various African surgical congresses. Through these platforms, he continues to influence policy, surgical protocols, and training standards related to infection prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Programme : Nando Ferreira [PDF, 310.77 KB] ↗ (opens in new tab)

Contact person:

As per indicated in programme for each session