Neurosurgery
Conditions
Please note this is not an exhaustive list of all conditions for outpatient services and does not exclude consideration for referral unless specifically stipulated in the out of scope section.
- Back and/or Neck Pain
- Brain tumors (Intracerebral, Meningioma, Skull Base, Pituitary)
- Hydrocephalus and VP shunt
- Neurovascular Disorders (aneurysm, AVMs, other)
- Non Acute Skull Fracture/Non Acute Traumatic Brain Injury
- Other Neurosurgical Conditions
- Peripheral Nerve Compression (including carpal tunnel, ulnar nerve entrapment neuropathy, common peroneal and lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh compression syndromes)
- Trigeminal Neuralgia and Other Cranial Nerve Abnormalities
Paediatric services
Referrals for children and young people should follow the Children’s Health Queensland referral guidelines.
- Back and/or Neck Pain
- Brain tumors (Intracerebral, Meningioma, Skull Base, Pituitary)
- Hydrocephalus and VP shunt
- Neurovascular Disorders (aneurysm, AVMs, other)
- Non Acute Skull Fracture/Non Acute Traumatic Brain Injury
- Other Neurosurgical Conditions
- Peripheral Nerve Compression (including carpal tunnel, ulnar nerve entrapment neuropathy, common peroneal and lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh compression syndromes)
- Trigeminal Neuralgia and Other Cranial Nerve Abnormalities
Emergency department referrals
All urgent cases must be discussed with the on call Neurosurgery Registrar. Contact through Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (07) 3646 8111 to obtain appropriate prioritisation and treatment.
Urgent cases accepted via phone must be accompanied with a written referral and a copy faxed immediately to the Central Patient Intake Unit: 1300 364 952.
If any of the following are present or suspected, refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary):
- Collapse/altered level of consciousness/new neurological deficit
- Suspected subarachnoid haemorrhage or other intracranial haemorrhage
- Headache with concerning features:
- sudden onset/thunderclap headache
- severe headache with signs of systemic illness (fever, neck stiffness, vomiting, confusion, drowsiness)
- first severe headache age over 50 years
- severe headache associated with recent head trauma
- Symptomatic benign or malignant space-occupying lesion
- Suspected or proven blocked or infected VP shunt
- Acute hydrocephalus
- Head injuries/trauma including extensive scalp laceration or suspected traumatic brain injury
- Trigeminal neuralgia – severe uncontrollable pain
Out of scope services
Not all services are funded in the Queensland public health system. The following are not routinely provided in a public Neurosurgery service.
- Fusion for back pain due to degenerative disease without correlating clinical symptoms or signs of neural compression
- Back and neck chronic pain – degenerative changes without acute neurology (please refer to Spinal CPC) (Chronic pain is defined as any pain lasting more than 6 months.)
- Non-specific headache without red flags or requiring surgical intervention
- Pathology of the sacrum: refer to orthopaedics
Clinic details
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Level 7, Ned Hanlon Building
Specialists list
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Medical Objects ID: MQ40290004P
HealthLink EDI: qldmnhhs
Mail:
Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways@brisbanenorthphn.org.au
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.healthpathwayscommunity.org
Locations
Neurosurgery Outpatient Clinic
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
UQCCR, University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research
Level 3 Neurosurgery Outpatient Services
Butterfield St, Herston QLD 4029