Coptcoat Lecture

Malcom Coptcoat (pictured left), a pioneer in the field of endoscopic renal surgery, sadly died suddenly in 1999. The Section of Endourology introduced this named lecture in memory of Malcolm in 2001.

Following service in the medical branch of the RAF, Malcolm Coptcoat joined the Institute of Urology, in 1984, to achieve his desire to return to civilian practice as a urological surgeon. With John Wickham as his mentor, Malcolm made a considerable contribution to the world of urology in a very short space of time.

His work on the development of endoscopic renal surgery was internationally-recognised and Malcolm became one of the most proficient surgeons in Europe in this field.

Malcolm went on to build up a strong department of urology at King’s College Hospital, London, lectured around the world and became a respected teacher and leader in the field of laparoscopic surgery. He chaired the WHO guideline group on laparoscopy.In 1990, the first laparoscopic nephrectomy in the UK was undertaken by Malcolm Coptcoat, Adrian Joyce (Leeds) and John Wickham (London) at King's College Hospital. In the same year, Malcolm assisted Jens Rassweiler from Mannheim in undertaking the first such procedure in Germany. Malcolm led by example and caused a sea change in our thinking about traditional open surgery. It is in recognition of such efforts that the Section created the Malcolm Coptcoat lecture at the Annual Section Meeting.

Previous Coptcoat lectures have been delivered by: