Neurosurgery and Neurointervention Unit
Overview of Service
The Neurosurgery Department at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) is a quaternary service, providing an advanced level of highly specialised care for a range of complex brain and spinal conditions across NSW. These include brain, pituitary, and spinal tumours, traumatic brain injuries, haemorrhages, and cerebrovascular disorders such as aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations. The RNSH Neurointervention Unit sits within the Neurosurgery department providing treatments for cerebrovascular conditions utilising advanced and ground-breaking endovascular techniques, supported through clinical trials.
The Neurointervention Unit features an internationally renowned, expert team of interventional neuroradiologists utilising advanced endovascular techniques to treat vascular diseases, including brain aneurysms, stroke, and arteriovenous malformations. The RNSH Neurointervention Unit is a rapidly growing service, providing 24/7 care for the management of stroke patients. It is one of the busiest services in NSW with a broad referral base from both metropolitan and rural NSW hospitals.
Areas of Expertise
- Brain, pituitary and spinal tumours
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Arteriovenous malformations
- Cerebral aneurysms
- Intracranial haemorrhages
- Dural fistulas
- Brain by-pass surgery
- Carotid surgery
- Degenerative spinal disc conditions
- Endovascular clot retrieval treatment of acute stroke
- Cerebral aneurysms
- Arteriovenous malformations
- Dural fistulas
- Intracranial and internal carotid artery stenting
- Vertebroplasty and sclerotherapy of vascular lesions
Achievements
- Department is heavily involved in the establishment and sustainability of the Brain Cancer group which focuses on supporting patients, research and working with multidisciplinary teams to find a cure and support patients affected by brain cancer
- Leading ground-breaking clinical trials which advance the treatment and care of patients with a number of cerebrovascular conditions
- MOSES Trial
- MOSS Trial
- Treated over 300 stroke patients in 2024
- Obtained funding for two specialised interventional neuroradiology theatres
- Obtained funding to operate the stroke endovascular clot retrieval service 24/7
Areas of Education
- Surgical Supervisor of Training (in Neurosurgery)
- Clinical Senior Lecturer, Northern Clinical School, University of Sydney
Affiliated Organisations
- NSW Oncology Group (Neuro-oncology)
- Australasian Neuro-oncology group, COGNO (Co-operative Trials Group for Neuro-oncology)
- Neurosurgical Society of Australasia
- American Association of Neurologists
- Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology
- Society of Neurointerventional Surgery
- American Heart and Stroke Associations
Meet our Neurosurgeons
MBBS PHD FRACS
Head of Department
Royal Australian College of Surgeons Supervisor
Dr Jonathon Parkinson is a neurosurgeon and has a special interest in brain and spinal tumours, skull base surgery and spinal surgery. As chair of the NSW Oncology organization (Neuro-oncology) and a member of the management committee of the Australasian Neuro-oncology organization, COGNO, Dr. Parkinson continues to conduct research on brain tumors and provide therapeutic care.
MBBS (Hons), FRACS
Dr Nazih Assad is a neurosurgeon and has a special interest in the treatment of complex aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, dural fistulas, cavernomas as well as stroke prevention surgery including brain bypass surgery and carotid surgery. He also has interests in brain tumours, spinal surgery and trigeminal neuralgia surgery.
MBBS (HONS) FRACS
Dr Raymond Cook is a neurosurgeon and has a special interest in brain tumours, pituitary surgery, minimally invasive procedures of the spine for disc prolapse and nerve entrapment causing sciatica or arm pain.
BBIOMED SC, MBBS, MSURG, FRACS
Dr Keryn Davidson is a neurosurgeon who has a special interest in brain tumours, haemorrhages, congenital malformations, spine tumours, degenerative disc conditions, brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and blocked arteries in the brain and neck.
MBBS, FRACS
Dr Nicholas Little is a neurosurgeon and has a special interest in minimally invasive spine and cranial surgery, brain and pituitary tumour surgery and vascular neurosurgery.
MBBS FRANZCR
Dr Kenneth Faulder is an Interventional Neuroradiologist, completing his fellowships at Royal North Shore Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital, New York. Dr Faulder is experienced in the endovascular treatment of cerebrovascular disease including internal carotid origin disease and intracranial atherosclerotic disease. He has a special interest in research and the developing clinical applications in acute stroke treatment and stroke prevention.
MBBS FRANZCR
Dr Brendan Steinfort is a dual fellowship trained Interventional Neuroradiologist and general endovascular specialist, treating complex neurovascular cases such as aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and stenting carotid stenoses. As well as this he is trained in all advanced body and peripheral endovascular techniques. He is a senior lecturer at UWS as well as speaking regularly at national and international conferences.
MBBS FRANZCR
Dr Timothy Harrington is an internationally known expert in Interventional Neuroradiology, with special interests including cerebral aneurysm coiling and flow diversion stenting, peripheral and cerebral arteriovenous embolisation, intracranial stenting, vertebroplasty and sclerotherapy of vascular lesions.
MBBS (Hons), FRACP
Dr Alice Ma is a Vascular and Interventional Neuroradiologist and has a special interest in endovascular treatment of acute stroke and cerebral aneurysms. She is a graduate of the Harvard Medical School post graduate Global Clinical Research Scholars program and received her medical degree with honours from the University of Sydney. Dr Ma continues to be actively involved in stroke education, advocacy, and research.
MBBS, FRACP
Dr Blake Giarola is an Interventionalist Neuroradiologist specialising in minimally invasive treatment of stroke and complex neurovascular disease. He undertook multiple Interventional Neuroradiology fellowships across leading Australian centres and internationally at Lariboisière Hospital, Paris. Dr Giarola demonstrates a strong commitment to research awarded the ANZAN Interventional Neuroradiology Scholarship.