ANNOUNCEMENT:

On May 6, 2008, The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), the Hon. Mr Jon Stanhope MLA, and the ACT Health Minister, the Hon. Ms Katy Gallagher MLA, publicly announced the ACT Government's multimillion dollar investment in the development of a state-of-the-art neurosurgical operating suite at The Canberra Hospital. This level of government funding, together with the support of our Community's benefactors, should see this vision through to completion in the near future. It is anticipated that this suite, with intraoperative MRI, cutting-edge neuronavigation, image projection and telemedicine capabilities, will be one of the most advanced operating rooms in Australasia, thereby representing an essential technological platform from which we can continue to deliver worldclass neurosurgical care.

TCH Neurosurgery is staffed by four consultant neurosurgeons, three neurosurgical registrars, an Office Manager and a Clinical Nurse Consultant, all supported by a dedicated and caring team of nursing, operating room and Administrative Staff. Our 500-bed teaching hospital offers an around-the-clock neurosurgical Service, and provides exceptional care to all neurosurgical patients. TCH Neurosurgery functions as a state-of-the-art Neurosurgical Unit, part of a multidisciplinary Service with many sister specialties ranging from neurology and radiology through to rehabilitation, critical care and pathology. TCH has a 13-bed intensive care unit (ICU) accommodating neurosurgery patients and a 25 bed neurosurgical ward that includes a 6-bed neurosurgical acute care unit (NACU).

Several hundreds of neurosurgical operations are carried out every year by the neurosurgeons at TCH and its affiliated National Capital Private Hospital in the City of Canberra, Australia's capital city. Neurosurgical operations include neurovascular surgery (brain aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, cavernoma, carotid surgery, microvascular decompression, etc.), brain tumour surgery (meningioma, astrocytoma/glioma, pituitary surgery, acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma, etc.) complex spinal surgery (for degenerative spine disease and spinal trauma, using the latest in spinal instrumentation technology) and surgery for traumatic head injuries.

Our department's academic activities include the teaching of medical students, junior medical officers and neurosurgical registrars, in addition to weekly educational multi-Unit conferences in neurosurgery, neurology, neuropathology and neuroradiology, and clinical and translational research projects.

Our hospital's medical school is part of the Australian National University (ANU). The ANU has recently been ranked as the number-one University in Australia and one of the top-twenty world-wide.

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Part of The Canberra Hospital (TCH) campus: medical, surgical and laboratory buildings (top left); medical school (top right); our helicopter service (below); National Capital Private Hospital and skybridge (top, behind). Above photograph courtesy ACT Health.

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Do you need private health insurance to be operated by Dr Khurana?

Dr Khurana and his neurosurgical colleagues provide benchmark neurosurgical care to any patient admitted to TCH Neurosurgery regardless of his or her insurance status. Patients at TCH have the choice of being admitted as "Private" or "Public" patients. Private patients from anywhere in Australia should feel free to ask about our "no-gap" option (no out-of-pocket expenses when certain Hospital-approved patients are admitted under Dr Khurana as a private patient). Whether a patient is privately insured or covered by the Australian Government through Medicare or Veterans Affairs is not as important to Dr Khurana as the patient's well being and satisfaction. In the words of Charles Mayo, one of the founders of the world-famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota USA where Dr Khurana was for nine years, "the best interest of the patient is the only interest to be considered."

Can a person with a brain tumour or a brain vascular condition (such as aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation or cavernoma) travel interstate or overseas by ground or air to TCH?

Yes, as long as the person is neurologically stable and cleared for travel by his or her local doctor, there is nothing stopping him or her from travelling by ground or air to TCH for their neurosurgical care. If there are any questions or concerns about travel, Dr Khurana can be reached through the Consultation & Appointment page of this Website (click the link at the top of this page). We welcome enquiries and referrals from across Australia and internationally.

Please note that all enquiries from overseas should be made via a referring physician.

In complex neurosurgery, training, technology and teamwork make a real difference. When all's said and done, what really matters is a neurosurgical patient's length of life and quality of life-- TCH neurosurgery provides a state-of-the-art neurosurgical service aimed at optimising these. Our patients receive personal and exceptional care, and as a team of neurosurgeons working in a multi-disciplinary environment we take great pride in our dedication and clinical performance. Our internal quality control processes allow us to provide and maintain an exemplary service to the Australian and international communities. Patients can benefit from the dedicated services of a large teaching hospital and receive such services in either "Private" or "Public" settings. In recognition of their work to enhance patient care, Dr Khurana's team (comprised of physicians, nurses and administrative staff alike) recently received the 2007 Australian Capital Territory Quality in Health Care Award for Patient Safety. Further recognition of the valuable service our neurosurgeons and nurses provide to the Australian Community has come by way of the recent ACT Government announcement of a multimillion dollar investment in the development of a state-of-the-art neurosurgical operating suite at The Canberra Hospital (see Top of Page).

How does a patient get referred to Dr Khurana?

Any person in Australia with an intracranial condition such as a brain tumour, brain aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, cavernoma, or carotid artery disease can be referred by his or her local doctor to Dr Khurana through the information provided on the Consultation & Appointment page of this Website (click the link at the top of this page). Patients can also send their films (hard copies or CD ROM copies) to Dr Khurana for an independent film review and recommendations. Whether you are from the Australian Capital Territory, interstate, or from overseas, we regard it as a privilege to be part of your neurosurgical care and recovery, and offer the same excellent standard of care and comprehensive array of neurosurgical and allied health services.

Please note that international patients should make contact with our Office through a referring physician in their country.

Where can a patient or referring physician find detailed information about brain surgery and brain disorders?

Visit www.brain-aneurysm.com for information about cerebrovascular disorders such as brain aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, arteriovenous fistula, cavernous malformation (cavernoma), and carotid artery disease. Also visit our www.brain-surgery.us Site for information about brain tumours and traumatic brain injury, and a multitude of other brain disorders, in addition to details of the book Brain Surgery by Dr Khurana.

Where can I see images of TCH Neurosurgery?

For a glimpse of some of the leading complex brain surgeries and technologies at TCH, click the In The Media tab in the green banner at the top of this page. For still images of our work, including our specialised and successful Awake Craniotomy / Awake Brain Surgery Program, just...

- Above photographs courtesy Jeremy Rozdarz and Jessica Salvage: www.links.com.au

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