MQ Health strategies to deliver on its heal, learn, discover promise in the area of bone and joint medicine include a mix of medical specialists and academics, uniquely qualified to lead in their fields and to collaborate on medical and surgical innovation and excellence in clinical care.

The Bone and Joint Clinical Program at MQ Health has moved a step closer to this vision with the appointment of orthopaedic surgeon scientist Dr Sumit Raniga to the team. Uniquely qualified through three dedicated world-renowned fellowships in orthopaedic shoulder and elbow surgery, Dr Raniga is also the recipient of the prestigious Charles S. Neer Award for outstanding research in shoulder surgery.

SHOULDER, ELBOW AND COMPLEX SHOULDER CLINICS

Dr Raniga’s appointment has enabled MQ Health to add a third clinic to its existing shoulder and elbow clinics – a Complex Shoulder Clinic. The clinic is available to all patients who feel that they would like to have a high-level review or a second opinion by shoulder specialists with extensive experience, expertise and training in an academic research environment.

This Complex Shoulder Clinic offers patients with difficult shoulder problems the highest level of evidence-based care with a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach. Dr Raniga works closely with preeminent shoulder surgeon Professor Des Bokor – a highly experienced and fellowship-trained shoulder subspecialist. The team is available to consult, provide non-operative and operative care of patients with complex problems related to the shoulder, and offer second opinions for failed treatments – including failed surgery.

The clinic also engages pain and infectious diseases specialists should the patient require such expertise. Working in close collaboration with this clinic is the MQ Health physiotherapists who also have a specialist interest and expertise in rehabilitation of complex shoulder problems.

The MQ Health shoulder and elbow clinics see all shoulder and elbow injuries – from minor ones treated without an operation, while other injuries such as recurrent instability of the shoulder or severe elbow fractures that may require surgery to alleviate pain, restore movement and improve quality of life.

In most conditions affecting the shoulder and elbow, surgery is only required once all other non-surgical treatments have failed. We specialise in open and arthroscopic (key hole) reconstruction as well as shoulder and elbow replacement surgery.

Dr Sumit Raniga is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and a subspecialist orthopaedic shoulder and elbow surgeon with three years of dedicated post-fellowship training in world-renowned centres of excellence. Dr Raniga provides the highest standard of evidence-based management and surgical treatment of complex shoulder and elbow problems with a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach.

Dr Raniga specialises in shoulder and elbow reconstruction, arthroscopy and arthroplasty. With a background in molecular medicine, including gene therapy, as well as orthopaedic surgical sciences, including biomechanics, his aim is to develop and implement a world-class centre of excellence in translational orthopaedic research, that not only produces top quality basic science that influences surgical practice, but also trains the academic surgeons of tomorrow.

Dr Raniga has published numerous research articles in international peer reviewed journals during his Fellowships and also became the first fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons to be awarded the prestigious Charles S. Neer Award by the American Shoulder and Elbow Society in 2016. This is the highest honour in shoulder and elbow surgery research in the world.

SWISS EXPERIENCE

Dr Raniga is the first fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons to complete a one-year fellowship in shoulder and elbow surgery at the prestigious Bern University Hospital (Inselspital). He was mentored by Professor Matthias Zumstein, who is widely regarded as one of the top shoulder and elbow surgeons in Europe. He had the privilege to receive intense training in arthroscopic and open reconstruction of the shoulder and elbow, as well as joint replacement surgery.

CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

The Roth MacFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Center (HULC) is a worldrenowned centre of excellence in education, research, and the treatment of patients with complex conditions of the upper limb. It is a tertiary referral centre where patients are sent for expert management of their complex upper limb problems.

Dr Raniga had the privilege to work with Professor Graham King, who is regarded as one of the preeminent elbow surgeons in the world. He focussed on open and arthroscopic reconstruction of the elbow, as well as elbow replacement surgery.

He also worked with Professor George Athwal, who has earned the reputation of being one of the best shoulder surgeons in North America. Dr Raniga focussed on learning novel joint preserving surgery for the treatment of high demand patients with unrepairable rotator cuff tears. He also gained further experience in arthroscopic and open surgery, as well as more complex shoulder replacement surgery.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

www.mqhealth.org.au/orthopaedics