News

Spinal surgery first for region

Aug 17, 2020

Spinal surgery will soon be available in Nowra for the first time, meaning south coast residents no longer need to travel to Wollongong or Sydney for operations.

A new, specialised theatre has also been built for the hospital’s surgeons to utilise.

Orthopaedic spine surgeon Dr Geoffrey Rosenberg will join Nowra Private Hospital’s growing list of specialist consultants.

Specialising in adult degenerative spinal conditions and complex reconstruction, revision and minimally invasive surgery, Dr Rosenberg has been operating for more than 25 years.

Dr Rosenberg will operate on conditions such as slipped or prolapsed discs and spinal stenosis, as well as painful degenerative conditions.

“Before now, there haven’t been a lot of options for spinal surgery in the region. If you’ve ever had a spinal injury or condition, you know how painful it is, so any reduction in travel time for patients is a big win,” said Dr Rosenberg.

“I’ve been a regular visitor for 20 years. It’s lovely working in a small community where everyone knows each other.”

“I think I have the most rewarding profession in the world.”

Dr Rosenberg has volunteered extensively overseas, performing spinal surgery in the Pacific and Africa.

Nowra Private Hospital now has four theatres for surgery.

Nowra Private Hospital Chief Executive Prue Buist said: “The hospital has purchased new specialised equipment used for spinal surgery, including a ‘Jackson Table’ which is a specially designed operating table used for spinal surgeries. This will allow specialists to undertake complex surgical procedures in Nowra.”

“We want to provide our community with access to all their specialist medical needs, so they don’t need to worry about travelling to see different doctors.”