A referral from a General Practitioner or Specialist is required prior to any appointments being made. Sending the referral by fax or email.
Appointments are triaged based on clinical urgency. Hence a referral is required prior to anything being made. We will endeavour to book you as soon as possible.
A referral from a General Practitioner or Specialist is required. This referral should have been sent to us prior to making any appointments. Prior to your appointment you will have completed patient information forms and medical information, these should have been sent to us beofre the day of your appointment, if not please ensure you bring them with you to your appointment.
On most occasions Neurosurgery+Spine will be able to access your imaging if it was done at one of the larger private radiology companies in Adelaide. If this was not the case and imaging was done interstate or at a smaller radiology company, please contact us prior to your appointment. We will endeavour to access this imaging prior to your appointment to ensure that everything goes as smooth as possible.
For the consultation, you receive a Medicare rebate. Your health insurance does not provide any rebate for outpatient consultations.
Your health fund will be used when admitting to hospital, either for injections under neurolept sedation or surgical intervention.
Surgery costs will be discussed at the time of consenting for surgery. They are based on the type of procedure you are having done.
You can continue to take regular medications as long as they are not blood thinning, as normal. You may also continue to take anti-inflammatories eg. Voltaren, Nurofen, Brufen. If you are diabetic please contact your anaesthetist.
If you are unwell for any other reasons eg. chest infection, urine injection, cold, it would be best to postpone your surgery. If your symptoms in which you were having the surgery for have resolved or got better please notify us.
Usually you will be able to drive after 2-3 weeks following surgery. If you have bigger operations such as fusion operations, this time will be longer and will be based on your progress after surgery.
If you have had spinal surgery, flying home can occur about a week post surgery.
For brain surgery, this time frame alters significantly based on your condition. Usually you will be unable to fly for 4-6 weeks post surgery.
Return to work will be based on your surgery and recovery. Most people will be able to return to work 3-4 weeks post surgery.