Ms Marie-Klaire Farrugia is a Consultant Fetal and Paediatric Urologist, with a long-standing expertise in antenatally-diagnosed urinary tract anomalies and minimally-invasive surgery, including robotic-assisted surgery. She is amongst the first robotic paediatric surgeons in the UK.
Her NHS practice is at the Chelsea and Westminster (C&W) and Imperial College Hospitals; and she is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College London. Miss Farrugia is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh with a sub-specialisation in Paediatric Urology; she was also awarded a Research Doctorate from University College London. She was honoured to receive a National Clinical Impact Award in 2025.
She is active in clinical research, and has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles, invited reviews, educational modules and book chapters and has delivered invited talks and keynote lectures world-wide; most recently the Urology Keynote Lecture at the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons Congress. She has a notable international profile, and is currently the Treasurer of the European Society of Pediatric Urologists; the Perinatal Editor of the Journal of Pediatric Urology; and part of Faculty on the European Promaster course in Robotic-assisted paediatric surgery.
Her favourite locations outside paediatric theatres will usually include a Crossfit Box or a sailing boat.
Conditions Ms Marie-Klaire Farrugia treats:
- Phimosis, balanitis and foreskin issues
- Undescended testes, hydrocoeles, hernias, varicocoele, scrotal swellings, testicular pain
- Hypospadias and penile anomalies
- Urinary tract infections/ cystitis
- Urinary frequency, urgency, dysuria, difficulty voiding
- Day and night wetting/ enuresis
- Labial adhesions, urethral prolapse, vaginal polyps
- Haematuria
- Urinary tract anomalies (usually presenting with abnormal antenatal scans or discovered on ultrasound after a UTI)
- Hydronephrosis/ renal pelvis or ureteric dilatation
- Duplex systems/ ureterocoele
- Vesico-ureteric reflux
- Multicystic dysplastic kidneys
- Renal cysts
Procedures Ms Marie-Klaire Farrugia performs:
- Circumcision (including neonatal circumcision)
- Preputioplasty
- Orchidopexy (open and laparoscopic)
- Hernia/ hydrocele repair
- Hypospadias repair
- Cystoscopy/ cystovaginoscopy
- Cystoscopy and Deflux injection for VUR
- Urethral dilatation/ meatotomy
Additional Information about Ms Marie-Klaire Farrugia
- Consultant Paediatric Surgeon & Urologist, West London Children’s Healthcare (Chelsea & Westminster and Imperial College Hospitals)
- Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer, Imperial College London
- Treasurer, European Society of Pediatric Urologists
- Perinatal Editor, Journal of Pediatric Urology
- Faculty, European Promaster Masters Course in Robotic-Assisted Paediatric Surgery
- Faculty, Advanced Course in Minimally-Invasive Paediatric Surgery
- Italian
- Maltese
Invited reviews
1. Farrugia MK. Don’t Go With The Flow: New Perspectives On Fetal Intervention For Lower Urinary Tract Obstruction. J Pediatr Surg. 2026
2. Farrugia MK, Montini G. Does vesicoureteric reflux diagnosed following prenatal urinary tract dilatation need active management? A narrative review. J Pediatr Urol. 2024
3. Puri P, Friedmacher F, Farrugia MK, Sharma S, Esposito C, Mattoo TK. Primary vesicoureteral reflux. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2024
4. Gatthaura H, Farrugia MK. Vesico-ureteric reflux: natural history, investigation and non-surgical management. BJUi Knowledge, 2024
5. Bisharat M, Ramos Y, Farrugia MK. Vesico-ureteric reflux: surgical management. BJUi Knowledge, 2023
6. Boswell TC, Maric T, Khoury AE, Farrugia MK. Urinary tract dilatation and vesicoureteral reflux – Adult outcomes, who should be followed, and how to follow them. J Pediatr Urol. 2023 Aug;19(4):450-455
7. Farrugia MK. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in infants: expert tips for success. Nat Rev Urol. 2021 Nov;18(11):641-642
Original research papers:
1. Vivek K, Subtil S, Sanna E, Dos Santos F, Derwig I, Lees C, Farrugia MK. Fetal bilateral hyperechogenic kidneys: Prenatal progression and long-term postnatal outcome. Early Hum Dev 2025 Mar
2. Tiboni SG, Bethell GS, Davidson JR, Farrugia MK. Factors Influencing Success in Endoscopic Treatment of Grade 4-5 Primary Vesicoureteric Reflux (VUR) in Infancy and Childhood. J Pediatr Surg. 2025 Jan
3. Varik RS, Geoghegan N, De Caluwe D, Rahman N, Farrugia MK. Suprapubic vesicostomy buttons: Indications, complications and bladder outcomes. J Pediatr Urol. 2024
4. Corbett HJ, Clothier J, Driver C, Farrugia MK, Garriboli M, Gopal M, Kulkarni M, Marshall D, MacDonald C, Radford A, Rhodes H, Williams A, McCarthy L. A consensus process to identify research priorities in paediatric urology in the United Kingdom. J Pediatr Urol. 2023 Oct 14:S1477-5131
Book chapters:
1. Rosie Cresner, Craig A. Peters, Marie-Klaire Farrugia. Overview of Robotics in Pediatric Urology in “Tips and Tricks in Paediatric Surgery” textbook. Chief Editor: Barry Kogan (2026, in press)
2. Marie-Klaire Farrugia, Mohan S. Gundeti, Rosie Cresner, Daniel Fu, David Kim. Robotic-assisted Extravesical Ureteral Reimplantation in “Tips and Tricks in Paediatric Surgery” textbook. Chief Editor: Barry Kogan (2026, in press)
3. Farrugia MK. Prenatal VUR. In: Vesicoureteric Reflux – Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. KG. Chief Editor: Prof Prem Puri (2025)
4. Farrugia MK. Antenatal hydronephrosis. In: Essential Paediatric Surgery – Taylor & Francis Publishers. Chief Editors: Prof Martin T Corbally and Prof Paul D. Losty (2023)
I have a very child-focused approach and will ensure the child feels valued and comfortable in my clinic. My practice is evidence based, and I discuss all options, conservative or surgical, with parents and patients, so that we can take a decision together that best applies to the family. When surgery is indicated, I will advise the most safe minimally-invasive procedure with the best outcomes and quickest recovery.