Ilana Langdon
Consultant Hand, Wrist and Elbow Surgeon

Professional profile

Miss Langdon is a Consultant Orthopaedic Hand surgeon who deals with all aspects of the specialty.

Miss Langdon graduated from the University of Leicester in 1990.  She completed her basic and then higher surgical training in Bristol, an international centre for orthopaedic training with the best results for orthopaedic training in the UK.  In 1999 she became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Orthopaedics and Trauma.  She went on to complete a highly specialised training fellowship in hand surgery in Manchester and Wrightington, operating on complex cases with renowned surgeons and Past Presidents of the British Hand Society, including the late Prof John Stanley, Mr Stewart Watson and Ms Vivien Lees.

Miss Langdon was awarded Master of Science in Orthopaedic Engineering by University of Wales Cardiff in 2001, with a dissertation on the biomechanics of Total Wrist Replacement.

In 2002 she was appointed as a Consultant Orthopaedic Hand and Trauma surgeon at the Royal United Hospital Bath and Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, and consulting at the BMI Bath Clinic and was a founder consultant at the Hand to Elbow Clinic.

Miss Langdon undertakes all forms of Hand and Wrist surgery including trauma.  She is part of the SouthWest network of hand and wrist surgeons who regularly discuss complex cases and their practices to ensure that she maintains exceptional standards and continues to learn from the wider cases and experience of other surgeons.

Miss Langdon is a UK leader in developing a particular practice and expertise in the technique of surgery using Local Anaesthetic without a Tourniquet (known as WALANT).  The injection is modified to reduce pain and stinging, and the lack of a tourniquet allows many more operations to be performed with much reduced discomfort and without the need for a General Anaesthetic.  She has been invited to lecture on this subject at national meetings.

Miss Langdon is a keen educator and has received awards for her teaching of postgraduate medical and surgical trainees, as well as training the hand surgeons of the future.  She is Director of Medical Education (DME), and Chair of the Trust Education Group for the RUH Bath.  She is lead DME for the Severn region of Health Education South West, and regional representative for Council of the National Association of Clinical Tutors.  She is invited to lecture in hand surgery both nationally and internationally.  She is a faculty member of the AO Foundation – an internationally recognised authority in the education and training of trauma surgery.  She is Chair of the Trust Advanced Life Support Training Group and Lead Course Director for Advanced Trauma Life Support for the RUH Bath.  Miss Langdon was elected President of the Clinical Society of Bath 2017-18, and continues to serve on Council.

Current NHS position

Consultant Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon at the Royal United Hospitals and Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath

Year of first medical qualification

1990

Special clinical interests

Hand and Elbow Surgery

Local Anaesthetic, No Tourniquet Surgery with minimal pain

Minimally invasive surgery

Dupuytren’s Disease

Carpal Tunnel surgery

Cubital tunnel surgery

Trigger finger and thumb

Ganglion excision

Hand, Wrist & Elbow  arthritis, including rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis

Sports injury including fractures

Hand fractures

Nerve injuries
Orthopaedic Trauma of the Hand, Wrist and Elbow

Research interests

Miss Langdon is involved in several national research projects looking at new innovative techniques in hand, wrist and elbow surgery, and the results of WALANT surgical techniques in trapeziectomy and other surgery.

Current membership(s) of professional, national and regional bodies

British Society for the Surgery of the Hand

General Medical Council

British Medical Association

British Orthopaedic Association

Royal College of Surgeons of England

National Association of Clinical Tutors

Clinical Society of Bath

AO Trauma Foundation

Personal Profile

Miss Langdon is married to Crispin Wigfield, a neurosurgeon, they have two grown up children, Natalie and Daniel.

Outside of work, Miss Langdon spends most of her time running around the hills and 400m tracks of Bath, endlessly trying to decide her favourite terrain and distance, and is the Chair of Trustees for her beloved Team Bath Athletics Club.  She also loves music and singing – particularly early sacred music with a variety of ensembles, endlessly trying to decide her favourite composer and setting.