Mr Murtuza Sikander has established himself as one of the UK’s leading Consultant Neurosurgeons and Spinal Surgeons, recognised for his work in complex spinal conditions, minimally invasive techniques, and pioneering approaches to awake spinal surgery. Based at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where he serves as Lead Clinician for the Neurosurgical Spinal Service, Mr Sikander has built a reputation for combining technical expertise with patient-focused innovation.

With extensive fellowship training in skull base and spinal surgery at some of the UK’s most respected institutions – including King’s College Hospital, The Royal Free Hospital, The Royal London Hospital, and the John Radcliffe Hospital – Mr Sikander has spent years refining advanced neurosurgical techniques designed to improve patient outcomes and recovery times.

Before joining Oxford’s neurosurgical team, he also practised as a Consultant Neurosurgeon and Spinal Surgeon at St Mary’s Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital in London. His clinical work spans a broad range of spinal and cranial disorders, from degenerative spinal disease and spinal stenosis to spinal tumours, vascular malformations, Arnold-Chiari malformations, and complex revision surgeries.

One of Mr Sikander’s specialist interests is Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH), a neurological condition that can often be mistaken for dementia in older adults. Through surgical intervention, many patients suffering from NPH can experience substantial improvements in mobility, cognition, and quality of life. His work in this area reflects a wider commitment to identifying and treating conditions that are frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed.

Mr Sikander is also recognised for helping to introduce and develop endoscopic spinal surgery techniques within the NHS. These minimally invasive procedures allow surgeons to operate with significantly smaller incisions, reducing blood loss, minimising tissue damage, and accelerating patient recovery. Oxford became one of only a handful of UK hospitals able to offer pioneering full endoscopic spine surgery following the introduction of specialist equipment supporting these techniques.

In 2023, Mr Sikander was invited as an international speaker at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists, where he presented on Awake Spinal Surgery – an increasingly important area of spinal care aimed at improving recovery times and reducing the physical impact of surgery on patients.

Awake spinal surgery represents a major shift in how certain spinal procedures can be performed. Rather than relying on general anaesthesia, patients remain awake or lightly sedated during surgery, allowing for faster mobilisation, shorter hospital stays, and reduced complications in selected cases. Mr Sikander’s work in this area gained further momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic, where improving patient flow and reducing recovery pressures became increasingly important across healthcare systems.

Alongside his NHS responsibilities, Mr Sikander also consults privately at leading hospitals including The Princess Grace Hospital in London. Over the course of his career, he has continued to pioneer modern approaches in spinal and cranial neurosurgery while maintaining a strong focus on improving long-term patient outcomes and quality of life.