Neurosurgery

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, together with Royal Perth Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, is home to the State Neurosurgery Service. The service is a major tertiary provider for the investigation and treatment of neurosurgical disorders, training and research in Western Australia.

In 2014/2015 the service conducted a combined neurology and neurosurgery review of the management of intra-ventricular drain in cerebral haemorrhage with inter-ventricular extension, and review of the best practice in the literature and review of cases. In addition a SCGH Neurosurgery Department review and update of best practice for management of low grade glioma was introduced.

The SCGH Neurosurgery Department is the main centre of neurosurgical service for Western Australia. It receives the vast majority of referrals for inpatient and outpatient care. This includes general and subspecialty interests in neurosurgery, neurovascular, neuro-oncology, movement disorders and spinal. Traumatic brain injuries are managed at Royal Perth Hospital under direct supervision of the state-wide service. Paediatric neurosurgery is managed in Perth Children’s Hospital by surgeons employed by Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. There is a spinal service at Fiona Stanley Hospital which is covered by the state-wide service.

A team of nine registrars are employed under the state-wide service rota and cross cover across each campus. There are supervised by the state-wide service. As such this is the only true state-wide service in Western Australia.

The registrar and intern education involves weekly grand rounds, weekly morning teaching sessions, weekly RMO teaching sessions and weekly neuro-oncology, neuroradiology and neurosurgical MDT meetings. There is also a regular Saturday morning registrar teaching session. All registrars are allotted formal mentors and all consultants have yearly performance appraisals.

There is a considerable amount of research within the department which has the second highest research output in Australia. Professor Knuckey (neuroprotection and stroke), Professor Lind (movement disorders), Mr Honeybul (neurotrauma and thromboembolic prophylaxis), Ms Lee (paediatric brain tumours) are all publishing widely.

The department is active on a nationwide basis. Professor Lind is on the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Board of Neurosurgery and is the immediate past president of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia. Professor Knuckey is the immediate past Senior Examiner for the Neurosurgical fellowship and previous board member. Ms Lee is currently on the Board of Surgical Education and Training. Mr Honeybul is a past board member, a current examiner for the Neurosurgical fellowship, and a previous Chair of the Western Australian Surgical Committee.