Colorectal Surgery & General Surgery Expert Witness – Mr Abhiram Sharma
Consultant Colorectal / Lower Gastrointestinal & General Surgeon

Mr Abhiram Sharma is a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon with an established medico-legal practice in clinical negligence and personal injury. He accepts instructions from both Claimant and Defendant legal teams.

His medico-legal expertise reflects his specialist clinical practice in colorectal and lower gastrointestinal surgery and includes colorectal cancer; inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; diverticular disease; pelvic floor disorders; faecal incontinence; rectal prolapse; complex perianal disease; stoma surgery; colorectal endoscopy; and complications arising from colorectal and general surgical treatment.

Mr Sharma has particular clinical experience in colorectal cancer surgery, pelvic floor and proctological disorders, inflammatory bowel disease and complex colorectal surgery. His practice also encompasses minimally invasive colorectal surgery, bowel resection, ileostomy and colostomy, stoma reversal, colonoscopy and the management of advanced colorectal polyps and early rectal neoplasia.

His specialist experience in pelvic floor disorders includes constipation, rectal intussusception, rectal prolapse, faecal incontinence and anorectal sphincter dysfunction. He has undertaken specialist pelvic floor and proctology training in Mannheim, Germany, as well as a colorectal fellowship at the University of Rochester, New York.

Mr Sharma provides independent expert opinion on matters concerning the investigation and management of colorectal and lower gastrointestinal disease, indications for surgery, timing and choice of treatment, operative and peri-operative management, postoperative complications and surgical outcomes, where these issues fall within his area of expertise.

He accepts instructions from both Claimant and Defendant solicitors and provides independent, impartial and evidence-based opinion in accordance with his overriding duty to the Court.

Mr Sharma has worked as a Consultant Colorectal and General Surgeon at Wythenshawe Hospital since July 2012. He is a member of the hospital’s colorectal cancer surgical team and manages patients across a broad range of colorectal and general surgical conditions.

His specialist surgical training included higher surgical training in the Yorkshire Deanery, with experience in Leeds, Hull and Sheffield. He subsequently undertook specialist pelvic floor and proctology training in Mannheim, Germany, followed by a colorectal fellowship at the University of Rochester in New York.

Mr Sharma’s current colorectal practice includes bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular disease, pelvic floor disorders, faecal incontinence, rectal prolapse, perianal fistula disease, haemorrhoidal disease, colorectal polyps and stoma-related surgery. His practice also encompasses laparoscopic, robotic and other minimally invasive approaches to colorectal surgery, together with transanal endoscopic techniques.

He has particular experience in pelvic floor surgery and the assessment and management of complex pelvic floor disorders. His practice includes faecal incontinence, constipation, rectal prolapse and rectal intussusception. His colorectal work also includes surgery for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer, diverticular disease, complex resections, ileostomy and colostomy procedures and stoma reversal.

Mr Sharma is experienced in gastrointestinal endoscopy, including colonoscopy and gastroscopy, and his clinical interests include the assessment and treatment of advanced colorectal polyps and early rectal neoplasia using appropriate endoscopic and transanal techniques.
His general surgical practice includes abdominal wall and incisional hernia surgery, appendicectomy and gallbladder surgery.

Mr Sharma’s principal clinical interests include:

Colorectal cancer and minimally invasive colorectal surgery
Mr Sharma manages colorectal cancer and has specialist experience in laparoscopic, robotic and other minimally invasive colorectal surgery. His practice includes bowel resection and the multidisciplinary assessment and surgical management of patients with colorectal malignancy. He also has an interest in advanced colorectal polyps and transanal endoscopic techniques, including TEMS/TAMIS, for appropriately selected rectal lesions.

Pelvic floor disorders and faecal incontinence
Pelvic floor surgery is a major component of Mr Sharma’s specialist practice. His clinical and research interests include faecal incontinence, constipation, rectal prolapse, rectal intussusception and anorectal sphincter function.
His experience encompasses the assessment and surgical management of pelvic floor dysfunction and sphincter-related disorders, including traumatic sphincter injury.

Inflammatory bowel disease
Mr Sharma undertakes colorectal surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. His interests include minimally invasive surgery, bowel resection, ileostomy and other stoma procedures and, where clinically appropriate, restorative procedures including ileoanal pouch surgery.

Diverticular disease
Mr Sharma assesses and surgically manages diverticular disease, including patients requiring colorectal resection and complex operative management.

Perianal and proctological disease
His practice includes complex anal fistula and perianal disease, haemorrhoids and other proctological conditions.

Colorectal endoscopy
Mr Sharma has specialist experience in colonoscopy and gastrointestinal endoscopy. His interests include colorectal cancer investigation, bowel cancer screening, assessment of colorectal polyps and the management of lesions requiring surgical or transanal intervention.

General and abdominal wall surgery
Alongside his colorectal practice, Mr Sharma undertakes general surgical work including abdominal wall and incisional hernia surgery, appendicectomy and gallbladder surgery.

Mr Sharma’s existing professional profile records his role as Clinical Governance and Mortality Review Lead for General Surgery at Wythenshawe Hospital. He has also been involved in clinical audit and service-quality work.

He has a further professional leadership role within the British Indian Colorectal Surgical Society (BRICSS), where he currently serves as Treasurer. BRICSS supports colorectal surgical education, research, professional development and collaboration in the UK and internationally.

Mr Sharma has an established research interest in colorectal surgery, with particular emphasis on pelvic floor disorders, faecal incontinence, anorectal physiology, rectal prolapse and intussusception, colorectal cancer and minimally invasive colorectal surgery.

His recent collaborative research includes work examining long-term outcomes following sacral neuromodulation for faecal incontinence and studies of anal sphincter function in patients with rectal intussusception and rectal prolapse.

His academic work also extends to colorectal cancer outcomes, haemorrhoidal disease, inflammatory bowel disease and other areas of colorectal and gastrointestinal surgery.

Mr Sharma has contributed to postgraduate research supervision in pelvic floor dysfunction and anorectal physiology.

Mr Sharma has an extensive peer-reviewed publication record in colorectal and gastrointestinal surgery. His published work covers colorectal cancer, pelvic floor disorders, faecal incontinence, anorectal physiology, rectal prolapse and intussusception, sacral neuromodulation, haemorrhoidal disease and gastrointestinal surgery.

Recent peer-reviewed work has included research into anal sphincter function and faecal incontinence, while earlier publications include research into long-term survival following elective colorectal cancer resection.

His publication record reflects continuing academic involvement alongside his clinical colorectal practice.

Mr Sharma has held an Honorary Senior Lecturer role at the University of Manchester and has been involved in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

His existing professional information records experience as an Educational and Clinical Supervisor for foundation doctors, core surgical trainees and specialty trainees, together with teaching of University of Manchester medical students.

He has also contributed to postgraduate research supervision, including doctoral research relating to anorectal physiology, pelvic floor dysfunction, faecal incontinence and rectal prolapse.