News

Hospital opening boosts surgical options

Jan 15, 2016

Illawarra patients who travel to Sydney for neurosurgery will be among the immediate benefactors of the opening of Wollongong Private Hospital on Monday.

Cutting edge technology and world class neurosurgical services mean a broad range of brain operations can now be offered, improving options and reducing stress for regional patients, their families and carers.

Illawarra neurosurgeon Dr Matthias Jaeger says the new hospital offers state-of-the-art facilities, providing surgeons with the tools to perform surgeries that could previously not be accommodated.

“From Monday we are ready and capable of performing all types of brain operations including brain tumours,” he said.

“This can now include fluorescence and stereotaxy guided resection of gliomas, operations for the chronic nerve pain condition Trigeminal neuralgia, and treatment of hydrocephalus which is the abnormal enlargement of brain cavities caused by fluid build-up.

“Our ability to provide these high-standard services locally means people in the Illawarra no longer need to travel to Sydney for vital medical care, saving them time and reducing the impact on their family life.

“When facing surgery, this ease of access and reduction in stress is important for all concerned.”

The new hospital will offer nine operating theatres along with a hybrid angiography laboratory, an eight-chair day oncology unit, 10-bed intensive care unit, six-cot special care nursery, 151 beds and a full range of medical, surgical and maternity services.

Dr Jaeger, a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons who has also trained in Germany, is conjoint Associate Professor at UNSW with active research projects in regulation of cerebral blood flow, hydrocephalus, neuro-oncology and neuroepidemiology. 

He specialises in comprehensive neurosurgery practice: spine, brain tumours including base of skull (glioma, meningioma, metastasis, schwannoma and pituitary tumours), trigeminal neuralgia, hydrocephalus, brain aneurysms and AVM, peripheral nerve conditions. 

Wollongong Private Hospital opens on January 18.