About Professor Étienne Cavaignac
Consultant orthopaedic knee surgeon and university professor in Toulouse, Professor Étienne Cavaignac has devoted his entire surgical practice to the knee since 2008. From the injured athlete to the patient living with osteoarthritis, this exclusive focus rests on a clear conviction: a good outcome is shaped as much in the consulting room as it is in the operating theatre.
Hospital practice and teaching
An orthopaedic knee specialist at Toulouse University Hospital
As an orthopaedic knee surgeon at Toulouse University Hospital, Professor Cavaignac holds the dual position of university professor and senior hospital consultant.
This academic and clinical role requires constant updating on the latest techniques in knee surgery, since he is also responsible for training residents and junior surgeons.
For you as a patient, this status carries a concrete benefit: every procedure he offers reflects the most recent evidence validated by the international medical community.
Teaching and involvement in learned societies
Holding a chair at the Faculty of Medicine of Toulouse involves passing on knowledge, but also remaining at the forefront of the discipline.
Professor Cavaignac trains residents and junior surgeons, which demands a continuous review of techniques in orthopaedic knee surgery.
As Treasurer of ESSKA (the European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy), he is a regular speaker at the SFA (French-speaking Arthroscopy Society), ESSKA and SOFCOT (French Society of Orthopaedic and Traumatological Surgery) congresses.
This scientific activity feeds directly into his clinical practice: every decision discussed in the consulting room rests on recent data, validated by the international community.
Knee orthopaedic surgeon: an exclusive practice
Since 2008, Prof. Cavaignac has dedicated 100% of his surgical activity to one joint and one joint only. His training includes three university-level specialist diplomas (arthroscopic knee surgery(lien vers page arthroscopy), knee traumatology and knee pathology), as well as fellowships in leading referral centres in France, Belgium and Switzerland.
He is a university professor, Treasurer of ESSKA and the appointed knee referent for several professional sports clubs. His entire operating schedule is devoted to this joint, covering sports-related conditions as well as degenerative ones.
+1000
Surgeries/year
+450
LCA reconstructions/year
+250
Publications
Orthopaedic surgeon and knee specialist: a tailored approach to knee surgery
- Clarify the diagnosis and define your personal goals
- Favour a progressive approach, from conservative options to surgery when needed
- Offer the right procedure, at the right moment, with the right technique
Areas of expertise
Sports traumatology
As the knee referent for several professional sports clubs, Professor Cavaignac applies to amateur athletes the same protocols he uses for elite-level players.
Returning to your sport, in the best possible time frame and under the best possible conditions, is not treated as a luxury: it is a genuine therapeutic objective, built into your care plan from the very first appointment.
Osteoarthritis & Mobility
The knee is a complex joint that needs to be both stable and mobile. Injuries to the ligaments or menisci, osteoarthritis and patellar instability are common conditions that may require surgery to restore the knee to full function. Recovery from these conditions requires the patient to adhere fully to the treatment plan put in place.
Care from start to finish, from diagnosis to recovery
The success of knee surgery does not depend solely on what happens in the operating theatre. It is built beforehand, through accurate diagnosis and shared decision-making, and afterwards, through coordinated rehabilitation and regular follow-up.
Professor Cavaignac applies this continuum of care to every patient, through the Knee-ACE (Knee Augmented Care Experience) concept. Knee-ACE structures your pathway from the first consultation to the full resumption of your activities, with each step planned, explained and coordinated between surgeon, anaesthetist, physiotherapist and, where relevant, psychologist or sports specialist.
Research and innovation
The scientific work of Prof. Cavaignac feeds directly into his clinical practice. With more than 250 referenced scientific publications, pioneering research on arthrogenic muscle inhibition (lien vers la page AMI) (AMI), an involuntary blocking of the muscles around the knee that slows recovery after anterior cruciate ligament rupture, and active involvement in the evaluation of robotic knee surgery (lien vers page chirurgie robot), his patients benefit from the most recent protocols without having to wait for them to reach routine practice.
In a field where techniques evolve every few years, being treated by an orthopaedic surgeon for the knee who actively contributes to that evolution, rather than passively observing it, is a measurable advantage.
Most frequent procedures in knee orthopaedics
A surgical activity concentrated on the most technically demanding interventions in knee orthopaedics, performed in high volumes.
Human care at the heart of the practice
Behind every procedure, there are attentive eyes, expert hands and genuine attention to what you are going through. The team includes anaesthetists familiar with regional techniques that limit post-operative pain, physiotherapists trained in the protocols used by the practice, and an administrative team who keep your pathway moving smoothly.
You are not handed from one isolated professional to the next: each person involved knows your file, the plan and the milestones you have agreed upon. This is what allows shared decision-making to remain meaningful from the first phone call to the last follow-up appointment.
Move forward with confidence, starting today
Professor Cavaignac sees patients in consultation at Toulouse University Hospital, or remotely by teleconsultation, in order to establish a clear diagnosis and build the strategy best suited to your situation with you, rather than for you.