St Vincents Private Hospitals

Biography

Mr Ian Al’Khafaji is a U.S.–trained, American board-certified orthopaedic surgeon and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He has advanced fellowship training in knee and hip surgery, sports medicine, and joint replacement. Originally from Tampa, Florida, Mr Al’Khafaji completed his medical degree at the University of South Florida before undertaking orthopaedic residency training at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. He went on to complete a world-renowned sports medicine fellowship at the Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, where he cared for elite and professional athletes and developed expertise in cartilage restoration techniques such as meniscus and cartilage transplantation.

Mr Al’Khafaji’s passion for hip and knee surgery brought him to Melbourne, where he trained at OrthoSport Victoria, focusing on complex ligament injuries and knee replacements. He went on to complete a specialised hip fellowship with Mr John O’Donnell, gaining expertise in anterior hip replacement and hip arthroscopy, followed by subspecialty training at the Melbourne Orthopaedic Group in hip preservation and robotic-assisted knee replacement. Before settling in Australia, he also worked in Phoenix, Arizona, at the state’s busiest trauma centre, managing complex sports and joint injuries.

He holds leadership roles in several international orthopaedic organisations, including ISAKOS, AANA, AOSSM, and ISHA, and serves as an orthopaedic consultant for professional surfers competing in the World Surf League.

Alongside his clinical practice, Mr Al’Khafaji is an active researcher and educator. He has published widely in leading orthopaedic journals, presented at international meetings, and moderates sessions at global conferences. His current research focuses on ACL injuries, hip arthroscopy, and femoroacetabular impingement. He is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne.

Procedures:
Knee: Arthroscopy, ACL Reconstruction (Primary/Revision), Collateral Ligament Reconstruction, Patella Stabilisation, Osteotomy, Meniscus Repair/Transplant, Cartilage Transplant, Robotic Partial/Total Replacement.
Hip: Arthroscopy, Labral Repair/Reconstruction, Proximal Hamstring Repair, Abductor Repair, Direct Anterior Total Hip Arthroplasty.
Shoulder: Arthroscopy, Rotator Cuff Repair, Biceps Tenodesis/Tenotomy, Stabilisation, AC Joint and Clavicle Fixation.