Royal North Shore Hospital has an extremely busy and varied Neurosurgical and Interventional Neuroradiology service. A core group of Neuroanaesthetists leads the department service and education for this sub-speciality, however the heavy emergency and after-hours workload associated with these specialities means that all anaesthetists can expect to be involved in these cases.
As the primary NSW state referral centre for major head and spine trauma, it is no surprise that approximately 75% of almost 800 neurosurgical cases per year are emergencies (approximately 2/3rds of which are intracranial). We also have a busy non-trauma emergency workload comprising mainly neurovascular and tumour work. Elective work is wide ranging and includes complex intracranial vascular pathology, tumours and spines.
The Interventional Neuroradiology service continues to expand, seeing nearly 1000 cases per year. Providing 24/7 coverage, RNSH is currently the busiest Endovascular Clot Retrieval service in the state with cases increasing rapidly year on year. There is a large elective Interventional Neurovascular case load that includes stenting/coiling of intracranial aneurysms, embolising dural AV fistulas and routine cerebral DSA’s. We also manage a small number of complex head and neck AVM’s making for some of the most challenging airways you’ll ever see!