Dr Nimmo James McKellar

Dr Nimmo James McKellar

Nimmo McKellar was one of Scotland's pioneers in vascular and interventional radiology, introducing many important new techniques during his career as a consultant radiologist at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Glasgow Nuffield and Bon Secours Hospitals.

18 May 1926 to 16 November 2003

He was born on 18 May 1926 at Tighnabruaich, the middle son of a long-established local family who ran the building, joinery and funeral undertaking business. He completed his secondary education at Hillhead High School before studying medicine at Glasgow University, fulfilling his early childhood ambition. After a period as a general practitioner in Possilpark, he began training as a radiologist in the Victoria and Western Infirmaries of Glasgow and at Killearn Hospital, where neurosciences were then based. In 1963 he was appointed a consultant radiologist to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Here, with colleagues Dr David Raeside and later Dr Brian Moule, he built up a large vascular radiology practice in association with the Unit for Peripheral Vascular Surgery, working with Mr William Reid and later in the 1970s with the University Department of Surgery and Professor Leslie Blumgart.

Nimmo was responsible for introducing catheter arteriography to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, a technique that he would develop and adapt to diagnose many diseases of the vascular tree, along with selective and hyperselective studies to diagnose bleeding and tumours in the chest and abdomen. He widened this to include haemangiomata of the skin. A particular interest was the diagnosis of juvenile angiofibromata of the nasopharynx, for the Plastic Surgery Unit at Canniesburn Hospital. Nimmo not only outlined these rare and potentially dangerous tumours using hyperselective arteriography, he also treated them pre-operatively with the then recently described technique of embolisation, to reduce their blood supply and so make surgical excision a safer procedure.

Particularly in those early pioneering years, it was not uncommon for Nimmo's unique skills to be required outobituaries of-hours. Even when not on call, he always gladly gave of his time, often being called in from the furthest hole on the golf course!

Balloon angioplasty was another new technique which he popularised and taught to a new generation of radiologists who now populate the Glasgow hospitals, the west of Scotland and many centres throughout the United Kingdom. Whilst his pioneering skills and professionalism were well recognised, he was no less an outstanding general radiologist, and was the radiologist that consultants most often turned to if they required a radiological opinion on themselves.

An enthusiastic teacher, he lectured to both radiologists and radiographers. He acted as a radiography examiner in Glasgow, London and Dublin. Nimmo retired from the NHS in 1988 but continued in private practice for a further six years.

As a young boy, Nimmo's first sporting love was shinty. He continued playing at university, where he was awarded his colours. However, he is remembered best by his sporting friends and colleagues as a keen and very talented left-handed golfer, despite being right-handed in all other walks of life. He would later confide to a radiological colleague that he was 'partially ambidextrous' ' an ability which allowed him greater expertise in his arteriographic and interventional procedures as well as on the golf course! He was a member of Royal Troon and Williamwood, where his greatest achievement was playing in the final of the Club Championship. He was also an enthusiastic member of the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Golf Club.

A keen gardener, he become Honorary President of the Busby and Clarkston Horticultural Society. His particular interest was growing sweet peas, which he showed competitively, winning many medals. He had a great love of music and singing and was a member of 'Ye Cronies' male choir.

Nimmo met his wife-to-be, Renee, on Tighnabruaich Pier, where she was on holiday. They married in 1953 and celebrated their golden wedding last July with their three daughters, Rona, Katherine and Jane and their seven grandchildren. A true gentleman, Nimmo enjoyed a very wide circle of friends and indeed, a second 'family' within radiology. A pioneer, a teacher, a friend, ever willing and able to offer sound advice and engage in incisive repartee; to those who worked with him, he was known simply and affectionately as 'Faither'.