Vascular Surgery Expert Witness – Professor Charles McCollum
Professor of Surgery

Professor Charles McCollum was appointed Professor of Surgery and Head of Academic Surgery at the University of Manchester in 1989, establishing a distinguished career in academic and clinical vascular surgery.

His specialist practice has encompassed the assessment and management of complex arterial, aortic and venous disease, including carotid artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, limb ischaemia, aortic aneurysms and complex venous disorders.

Throughout his career, Professor McCollum has combined specialist vascular practice with academic research, teaching and clinical leadership. His work has contributed to the development of evidence-based vascular practice, particularly in the prevention and management of thrombotic and embolic disease, stroke prevention, aneurysm management and venous disease.

Professor McCollum’s clinical interests encompass a broad range of arterial, aortic and venous disease. His arterial practice includes peripheral arterial disease (PAD), arterial occlusive disease, acute and chronic limb ischaemia and revascularisation, including angioplasty, arterial stenting and open vascular surgery. He has extensive experience in carotid and cerebrovascular disease, including carotid surgery for stroke prevention, carotid angioplasty and stenting, cerebral embolism, cerebral perfusion and paradoxical embolism.

Professor McCollum has particular expertise in complex aortic and aneurysmal disease, including abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), peri-renal and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms, aneurysm screening and surveillance, assessment of operative risk and the selection of patients for elective aneurysm repair.

His venous interests include deep vein thrombosis (DVT), venous thromboembolism (VTE), chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, pelvic venous disease, venous ulceration and compression therapy. He also has experience in chronic wounds and impaired wound healing where vascular disease is a contributing factor.

His wider vascular interests include thoracic outlet syndrome and vascular compression disorders, including cervical and first-rib surgery.

Professor McCollum has held senior clinical, academic and surgical leadership positions throughout his career.

He was appointed Professor of Surgery and Head of Academic Surgery at the University of Manchester in 1989, with responsibilities spanning clinical practice, academic surgery, research and postgraduate education.

His leadership roles have included serving as founding Chairman of the Vascular Governance North West Programme and Clinical Director of the Greater Manchester Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme. He has also chaired the steering committee of the North West College of Academic Surgeons.

Through these roles, Professor McCollum has contributed to clinical governance, vascular service development, screening, research strategy, surgical education and the development of evidence-based vascular practice.

He has also led and collaborated on major vascular and cardiovascular research programmes and has supervised clinicians, surgical trainees and academic researchers.

Professor McCollum has an extensive research background in vascular and cardiovascular disease, with particular interests in arterial and venous thrombosis, cerebral embolism, stroke, cerebral perfusion, carotid disease, aortic aneurysms and complex venous disease.

His research into carotid and cerebrovascular disease has included carotid surgery, angioplasty and stenting, cerebral embolism and cerebral perfusion, together with investigation of carotid plaque and its relationship with stroke risk. He has also investigated paradoxical embolism as a potential mechanism of stroke.

Aortic aneurysm disease has been another major research interest. His work has included AAA screening and surveillance, operative risk, patient selection and research into determining when elective aneurysm repair is most likely to optimise survival.

Professor McCollum’s research in venous disease encompasses deep vein thrombosis (DVT), venous thromboembolism (VTE), chronic venous insufficiency, varicose veins, pelvic vein incompetence, venous ulceration and compression therapy.

His wider research has investigated cerebral embolism in relation to cognitive impairment and dementia, ischaemic tissue injury, wound healing, blood transfusion therapy, perioperative outcomes and surgical risk prediction.

Professor McCollum has an extensive international academic publication record in vascular and cardiovascular medicine and is regularly invited to deliver plenary and keynote lectures at national and international scientific meetings.

He is the senior author of more than 420 scientific publications, including over 330 original research papers published in peer-reviewed journals.

His published research encompasses arterial and venous thrombosis, carotid artery disease, cerebral embolism and stroke, cerebral perfusion, aortic aneurysm disease, peripheral arterial disease, deep vein thrombosis, venous disease, wound healing and vascular surgical outcomes.

His research programmes have attracted support from major research organisations, including the National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR-HTA), British Heart Foundation and Wellcome Trust.

Professor McCollum’s academic work continues to provide an important evidence base for his clinical and medico-legal practice.

Professor McCollum has extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, surgical training and specialist vascular education.

As Professor of Surgery and Head of Academic Surgery at the University of Manchester, he has contributed to the education and professional development of medical students, surgical trainees, vascular surgeons and clinical researchers.

His teaching has encompassed both the clinical and academic aspects of surgery, with particular emphasis on vascular surgery, arterial and venous disease, clinical research and evidence-based surgical practice.

He has supervised and mentored surgical trainees and academic researchers and has contributed to specialist education nationally and internationally through invited lectures, scientific meetings and postgraduate surgical teaching.

Professor McCollum has over 30 years’ experience as a vascular surgery medico-legal expert witness and maintains an established expert witness practice across the full spectrum of arterial, aortic and venous disease.

He accepts instructions from Claimant and Defendant legal teams, insurers and insurance companies in clinical negligence and personal injury cases, with an approximate Claimant/Defendant instruction ratio of 60:40.

In criminal proceedings, he accepts instructions from both the Prosecution and Defence, and in coronial matters from Coroners and Interested Persons. He also accepts instructions in sports injury cases. His overriding duty as an expert witness is to the Court, and his opinions are independent, impartial and evidence-based irrespective of the party instructing him.

His medico-legal expertise includes peripheral arterial disease and limb ischaemia; carotid and cerebrovascular disease; cerebral and paradoxical embolism; abdominal and complex aortic aneurysms; deep vein thrombosis and venous thromboembolism; chronic venous disease; vascular interventions and surgery; vascular injury; and vascular causes of impaired wound healing.

His particular academic and clinical experience in abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, surveillance and intervention, carotid disease and stroke prevention, thrombosis and embolism, and complex venous disease enables him to provide expert opinion informed by longstanding specialist practice and an extensive peer-reviewed research background.

Professor McCollum prepares clear, robust and appropriately reasoned medico-legal reports across civil, criminal and coronial matters. His opinions include breach of duty, causation, condition and prognosis, and other issues concerning vascular injury, disease, investigation, treatment and clinical management where these fall within his area of expertise.