Conferences and Courses in 2012

Dr Ball has attended several important meetings and courses in the second half of 2012.

In July, he attended a course at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand entitled "Treating the Complex Spine: Trauma and Tumor Course". The purpose of the course was to provide an update on the management of traumatic and oncologic disorders of the spine. It used a comprehensive evidence based medicine format to combine best available evidence with consensus expert opinion and

arrive at best practice recommendations with exposure to new and established techniques for treating common yet challenging areas of these spine pathologies.

Dr Ball attended the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia's Annual Scientific Meeting in September. Of particular interest to Dr Ball were sessions on spinal trauma, ethical dilemmas and stem cell therapy.

In October, Dr Ball travelled to Colorado in the USA to visit the international headquarters of Medtronic Navigation, the makers of the O-arm. The Medtronic O-arm^® surgical imaging system and StealthStation surgical navigation system work together to form a unique surgical pairing that enables faster, more precise and less invasive spinal procedures in a reduced radiation environment. Dr Ball uses the O-arm at North Shore Private Hospital. 

He was then invited to attend a course in California on "Advances in Spine: Minimally Invasive

Lumbar Fusion Access & Fixation Techniques". This course introduced new minimally invasive techniques including the recently introduced OLIF25 and MIDLF procedures.

Invited Speaker at Faculty of Pain Medicine

 Dr Ball was honoured to be invited by the NSW regional committe of the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists to speak at their continuing medical education evening.

Dr Ball spoke about an "Update on the surgical management of painful spinal conditions", covering many of the conditions for which spinal surgery can be beneficial, including the controversial topic of surgery for axial back pain.

Leadership Training

Dr Ball is attending a series of seminars in his role as Head of the Neurosurgery Department at Royal North Shore Hospital. 


The first workshop was held by the Proteus Group on "Creating a Positive Culture"The second was on "The Medical Leader - Why it Matters" by Ian McDonald of the Studer Group. 


These workshops will continue on a monthly basis and will assist Dr Ball, as Head of Neurosurgery, in guiding the department into the future, including the establishment of the department in the newly redeveloped Royal North Shore Hospital.

Anterior Lumbar Surgery Training

Dr Ball attended 2 courses on anterior lumbar spine surgery in February and March.  The Advanced Anterior Solutions Workshop hosted by Medtronic was held in Sydney on February 25 and 26, 2012. The Synthes Vascular Access Lab Course was held in Melbourne on March 2 and 3, 2012.


Dr Ball will perform anterior lumbar fusion in selected situations and these courses provided an opportunity to keep up to date with the latest in surgical techniques with an expert faculty.

Prestigious Book Chapter Published

The 6th edition of Youman's Neurological Surgery has been published and includes a chapter by Dr Ball. Entitled 'Concepts of Disk Degeneration and Regeneration', the chapter covers the basic science and epidemiology of spinal disc disease.

Youman's is a 4 volume textbook of neurosurgery, with this edition described as the 'cornerstone of unquestioned guidance on surgery of the nervous system'.

EMST Senior Instructor Workshop

Dr Ball has attended a workshop for senior instructors and directors of the Early Management of Severe Trauma course of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. The course, held in Melbourne on August 12 & 13, covered new developments in trauma care and course delivery.

Based on the American College of Surgeons Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course, EMST trains doctors in the principles of trauma care. After completing his initial EMST training in 1999, Dr Ball was approached to become an instructor and teaches on up to 3 courses each year.

EOS scanner at Dalcross

Dr Ball's involvement at Dalcross Hospital has allowed him early access to the newly installed EOS scanner at Dalcross radiology.

From the official launch ....

'The EOS Imager will change the way orthopaedic and spinal patients are diagnosed and treated. It will have implications for patients with back pain, hip and knee problems – where vertical weight bearing images of bones are helpful. It has significant implications for children with paediatric scoliosis.

Significantly, the EOS:

• Results in up to 9 times less radiation dose (significant less radiation risk)
• Takes only 10-20 seconds for a scan (patients stand in a booth)
• Provides amazing images of full size standing weight bearing patients (Drs now have one continuous digital image and can now see weight-bearing impact on patients; piecing together of multiple individual x-rays no longer required)
• Provides geometrically accurate pictures (allowing true length and angle measurements; x-ray has geometric distortion)
• Views images in real time (quicker diagnosis)
• Gives better clarity of images (can result in better diagnosis/better view of spinal alignment/potentially less repeat surgery)
• Enables potentially treatment transforming research into spinal anatomy
• Is Nobel Prize winning technology'

Dr Ball has started to operate at Dalcross and continues to work with his mentor and colleague Dr Bill Sears both there and at the Spinal Injuries Unit of the Royal north Shore Hospital.