Spine Cancer Presentation

Last week, Dr Ball was invited to speak to the NSW Radiation Oncology Training Program held at Royal North Shore Hospital about the role of surgery and radiation treatment for spinal metastases. Invited attendees included all members of the training program from NSW.

As treatment of cancer improves, metatstatic cancer in the spine is an increasingly common condition which, in some cases, can be helped with surgery. Working together with the other specialists involved, such as radiation oncologists, can lead to improved outcomes for patients.

Further Educational Achievements

After recently teaching on another Early Management of Severe Trauma Course at Royal North Shore Hospital, Dr Ball has been awarded 'Senior Instructor' status by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Dr Ball is also now a co-director and committee member of the Australian and New Zealand Surgical Skills Education and Training (ASSET) course, also run by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Dr Ball's commitment to medical education continues to be a major focus of his career and he believes it benefits his practice and patients by encouraging ongoing knowledge acquisition and skills improvement.

Spinal Surgery Workshop

Dr Ball just returned from a 2 day workshop on spinal surgery held by the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia. The workshop was limited to 30 practicing neurosurgeons who have a strong clinical interest in spinal surgery.

This workshop covered a wide range of issues related to spinal surgery, covering minimally invasive spine surgery, biologics, trauma, reconstructive techniques and revision strategies. Dr Ball gave a well received presentation on the non-operative management of thoraco-lumbar spine fractures.

Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury Paper

Dr Ball, together with some international colleagues, has had a paper e-published (ahead of print) entitled 'Clinical Predictors of Recovery after Blunt Spinal Cord Trauma: Systematic Review' in the Journal of Neurotrauma.

The paper examines what evidence exists for clinical, imaging, and therapeutic factors affecting recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI).

Advanced Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Dr Ball has attended a symposium on Advanced Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery held by DePuy Spine International at their headquarters in Raynham, Massachusetts, USA (DePuy Spine is a manufacturer and distributor of spinal instrumentation based near Boston).

The symposium was held to allow 'key opinion leaders' from all over Europe to review and discuss the latest techniques in minimally invasive spine surgery Dr Ball was one of 3 Australian neurosurgeons who also attended, giving him the opportunity to share ideas, discuss advances and review new and emerging technologies in this area.

ASSET Committee

Dr Ball has been nominated to be the Neurosurgical Representative on the Australian and New Zealand Surgical Skills Education and Training (ASSET) Committee of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons which develops and provides the ASSET course.

The ASSET course provides an educational package of generic surgical skills required by surgical trainees in Australia and New Zealand. A modularised version will soon be delivered to final year university students.

Dr Ball's commitment to surgical education now spans the EMST and ASSET courses, as well as serving on the Education Committee of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia.

High Distinction Result

As part of his Masters degree in Biomedical Engineering at the University of New South Wales, Dr Ball completed a subject 'Regulatory Requirements of Biomedical Technology' in Session 2, 2009. Dr Ball has been awarded a High Distinction result for this subject.

Rapidly emerging biomedical technologies pervade all of medicine and especially neurosurgery/spinal surgery. Dr Ball's studies help him better evaulate and implement the most appropriate solutions for individual patient's problems.