Orthopaedic Surgery
Overview of Service
The Orthopaedic Surgery Department at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) is one of the busiest units in NSW performing a large volume of emergency and trauma operations. This unit provides specialised care for a range of musculoskeletal conditions, focusing on the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of conditions affecting bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. As a level 1 trauma service, the RNSH Orthopaedic surgeons form part of the multidisciplinary trauma team, attending and managing major trauma presentations.
Areas of Expertise
- Trauma surgery
- Replacement and reconstruction of major joints (hip, knee, shoulder and ankle)
- Reconstructive surgery of the knee including Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, multiligament injuries, meniscus and cartilage transplant, and corrective osteotomy for knee realignment.
- Spinal Surgery (Adolescent and adult spinal deformity, Spinal trauma, Degenerative disease of the spine, Primary and secondary spinal tumours,)
- Mutli-disciplinary reconstructive surgery of the lower limb including ortho-plastic limb salvage, deformity correction, targeted muscular reinnervation and neuromuscular and spasticity related disorders.
Key Areas of Education
- Royal Australian College of Surgeons (Positions held: Examiner)
- Master of Surgery program, University of Sydney
- Chair Orthopaedics and Traumatic Surgery, Universityof Sydney
- Lecturer Medical student’s 2nd and 3rd years
- Fellowships: Adult Reconstructive Surgery, Knee, Shoulder.
- Participation in multiple international meetings and teaching courses as invited faculty
Achievements
- Board Member, Australian Orthopaedic Association
- President, Australian Orthopaedic Association
- Pioneering innovative solutions for hip replacement – Recipient of the InnovationAus 2024 Awards for Excellence (HealthTech Category)
- Australian Orthopaedic Association Research Prize:2013 and 2021
- International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic Sports Medicine (Positions held: President)
Affiliated Organisations
- Australian Orthopaedic Association
- University of Sydney
- Arthroplasty Society of Australia
- Sydney Orthopaedic Research Institute
- International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery and Orthopaedic
- Spine Society of Australia
- Scoliosis Research Society
- Australian and New Zealand Hip Fracture Registry
- SERT Institute
- Sydney Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Research Institute
- Australian, Canadian, British and American Foot and Ankle Societies
Meet our Orthopaedic Surgeons
MBBS, FRACS, FAORTHA
Head of Department
Dr Andrew Ellis has a special interest in reconstructive orthopaedic surgery, hip arthroplasty, musculoskeletal trauma and injury, including fracture management and reconstruction of the lower limb due to neurological conditions.
MBBS (HONS) FRACS FAORTHA
Royal Australian College of Surgeons Supervisor
Dr Joseph Isaacs has a special interest in hip and knee surgery and major trauma surgery. He is one of few Australian surgeons trained in pelvic and acetabular fracture surgery.
MBBS, FRACS, FAOrthA, PhD
Director of Orthopaedic Training at Royal North Shore Hospital
Dr Terrence Moopanar has a special interest in in shoulder and elbow, complex trauma, musculoskeletal infection, major limb reconstruction and complex arthroplasty (shoulder, elbow, hip and knee) surgery.
MBBS (Syd), FRACS (Orth), PhD (Surgery)
Prof Bill Walter has a special interest in hip and knee surgery. He is one of few surgeons who offers the resurfacing hip replacement, which is particularly suited to fit males under 60 years.
MBBS MS FRACS (Orth) FAOrthA MASES
Dr Benjamin Cass has a special interest in shoulder reconstruction and replacement for tendon or labral tears, instability or arthritis via arthroscopic, and when needed, open surgery. Dr Cass also specialises in reconstructive procedures for the elbow including ligament reconstruction, arthroscopy, releases and replacement.
MBBS FRACS
Dr Myles Coolican has a special interest in knee arthroscopy, total knee and uniknee replacement, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and knee surgery.
MBBS(Hons) FAOrthA FRACS(Orth)
Dr Andrew Cree has a special interest in all spinal disorders, cervical spine, keyhole surgery, image guided techniques and management of trauma and spinal deformities.
MBBS (HONS), FRACS (ORTHO), FAORTHA
Dr Randolph Gray has a special interest in adult degenerative spinal disorders and adult / paediatric spinal deformity surgery.
BSC MBBS(HONS) MM FRACS
Dr Nathan Hartin has a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, spine trauma surgery and spine deformity and reconstructive surgery.
MBBS, FRACS, FAOrthA
Dr Dimitri Papadimitriou has a special interest in arthritis, joint replacement, sports injury, arthroscopic surgery and in trauma management and surgical reconstruction.
BMedSci, MBBS, FRACS, FAOrthA
Dr David Parker has a special interest in sports injuries, ligament reconstruction, realignment surgery and cartilage pathology, and robotic knee replacement surgery.
BAppSc Physio(Hons) MBBS(Hons) MPH FRACS(Orth) FAOrthA
Dr Michael Symes has a special interest in ankle replacements, arthroscopic and minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery, complex lower limb trauma, neuromuscular and spasticity lower limb reconstruction.
MBBS BSc(Med) FRACS (Orth) FAOrthA
Dr Sean Suttor has a special interest in minimally invasive spine surgery, deformity, tumour, trauma and arthroplasty.
MBBS FRACS(Ortho)
Dr Andrew Wines has a special interest in interest in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the foot and ankle in adults and children.