the braemar

Issue twenty ONE JuNE 2014 way... 100% owned by the Braemar Charitable Trust

What’s new at Braemar? Neurosurgeon Peter Gan has joined Braemar . He describes the challenges and high-points of specialising in the most complex organ in the human body. on that basis’? But it He says while private neurosurgery is a didn’t stop me.” relatively new speciality in the Waikato, it is a growing and exciting A decade later, aged 18, he left Petaling field and the standard of care and Jaya in Malaysia to complete his A facilities at Braemar are attracting Levels in Britain before beginning his patients from a wide area. Constant medical degree at the University of breakthroughs in technology and Glasgow followed by specialisations in techniques mean surgeons can neurosurgery at Queen Elizabeth operate with greater precision and Hospital in Birmingham and paediatric success even on the most complex neurosurgery at Birmingham Children’s cases. Functional MRI scans, for Hospital. A year in Canada followed example enable surgeons to accurately where he specialised in all forms of identify which areas of the brain are paediatric neurosurgery including involved in a particular mental process, craniofacial surgery which deals with thus making it easier to pinpoint areas deformities of the skull and face. to avoid. Endoscopy ensures minimally Peter Gan’s career inspiration came He then returned to Birmingham, invasive surgery, allowing for shorter early – and from an unusual source. where he worked as a consultant operations and a quicker recovery “As a child growing up in Malaysia, I neurosurgeon until his appointment to time. “In some cases, the time for an decided at around 8 or 9 that I wanted Waikato Hospital neurosurgical team operation has dropped from around to be a doctor. Then I read an article in in March, 2013. four or five hours to 35 minutes.” Reader’s Digest written by a neuro- At Braemar, his work encompasses all Mr Gan says while neurosurgery is a surgeon and I made up my mind there his speciality fields including elective challenging field, because of the and then that was what I would be.” cranial and spinal procedures which technical skills required, it is also very In fact, he says, the magazine article include tumour surgery, procedures rewarding. “The brain is a very should have put him off. It painted a which deal with cerebrospinal fluid complex piece of machinery. Every compassionate but candid picture of disorders such as Chiari malformation brain is different: the shape, the size an American neurosurgeon’s life. The and hydrocephalus, elective and the angles. It is the same with the subject of the story, was divorced neurovascular procedure such as spine. There are so many procedures. (divorce rates are very high among clipping of aneurysms and routine You never get bored. “ neurosurgeons); he was married to his spinal procedures. He will also offer work, and sleep-deprived. But the intracranial endoscopic procedures for young Gan was inspired. “I was minimally invasive surgery once the thinking, ‘why the heck am I choosing equipment is available.

www.braemarhospital.co.nz Like other neurosurgeons he is of patients – one study said up to 75 concerned with some of the trends in per cent – who have a bleed don’t go Mr Peter Yee Chiung Gan lifestyle that contribute to brain bleeds back to work again. If this changes the and strokes. outcome, it will improve their quality Qualifications MB ChB (With Commendation) 1995 Glasgow The Lancet reported recently that of life, their recovery and their work/ ECFMG 1998 USA AFRCS (Surgery in General) strokes are increasingly affecting life balance.” 1998 Edinburgh FRCS (Neuro) 2004 Edinburgh middle-aged and young people and Peter Gan is enjoying the change of CCST (UK) (Neurosurgery) 2005 Paediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship 2006 Vancouver, that globally, 83,000 people, aged 20 or lifestyle in , and also his Canada younger suffer from stroke every year. work, which allows him to do a range Rooms at Mr Gan says in New Zealand more of procedures. He says one reason he came to New Zealand was because he Anglesea Clinic, Gate 2 Cnr Anglesea St and young Maori are suffering from brain Thackeray St, Hamilton bleeds, due to high blood pressure. “A was increasingly frustrated by the bureaucracy of the British public Mobile large number are in their thirties and 021 417 562 forties, as opposed to the Caucasian health system. “The public system is massively under-funded. A lot of cases Phone population aged in their sixties and (07) 834 0717 seventies.” are cancelled. It becomes too stressful.” Fax Only lifestyle changes will make a (07) 858 0756 His own life is busy, he says but – difference, he says. “It is a condition Email of an unhealthy lifestyle. A lower unlike the author of the Reader’s [email protected] Digest article – he is happily married socio-economic group tends to Areas of Specialisation smoke and drink.” and enjoys his family life, with his son, • Adult Neurosurgery 5, and daughter 8. He also plays squash He would love to see New Zealand • Neurovascular, Neuro-, and badminton and reads “everything Cerebrospinal Disorders become smoke-free. from fiction to theology to Chinese • Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia books.” He says in Glasgow, where he studied, • Pain and Spinal Surgery people smoked heavily. “Glasgow is a He speaks five languages and uses typical Scottish city. They drink and most of them every week. “I speak Specialist Training smoke very heavily.” But when the Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery Mandarin and Cantonese to my (With Commendation) Smoking, Health and Social Care Act brother and sister who are in New University of Glasgow, Scotland was introduced in 2006, the effect was York and Hong Kong respectively; I dramatic. There was an immediate Associate Fellowship in Surgery in General speak English to my wife and kids, from Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh reduction in incidence of heart attacks because my wife speaks Hokkien, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland and cerebral infarction (ischemic which I can understand but don’t stroke) in the Scottish population. speak very well, and I speak Hainanese Fellowship in Neurosurgery from Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh While at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in to my mother who is in Malaysia.” He can also speak Malay. Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Birmingham, Mr Gan was principal Scotland investigator for the international He has never regretted his early United Kingdom Certificate of Completion of STASH trial involving patients who had decision to specialise in neurosurgery. Specialist Training in Neurosurgery suffered subarachnoid haemorrhages “For me, as with most neurosurgeons, The Specialist Training Authority of the (bleeding from rupture aneurysms this is not just a job. It is with you Medical Royal Colleges, England which are weaknesses at branches of for life.” Fellowship in Paediatric Neurosurgery the blood vessels of the brain). Such British Columbia Children’s Hospital, bleeds can cause reduced cerebral Vancouver, Canada blood flow which leads to high rates of Kind Regards, disability as a result of a stroke. The Positions & Memberships Consultant Neurosurgeon, Waikato Hospital, trial involves patients being given Hamilton cholesterol-lowering simvastatin for 14 Member of the Society of British Neurological days after the rupture. The data from Surgeons the trial is still being processed, and it Member of the Neurovascular section of the will be two to three years before the Society of British Neurological Surgeons long-term results are known, but he International member of the Congress of said it is hoped the medication will Neurological Surgeons, USA improve the patient’s outcome. “A lot Dr Greg Spark – Deputy Chairman Member of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of SPECIALIST SELECTOR Edinburgh, UK Check out braemarspecialists.co.nz for full details of all Currently Working at ? the surgeons working at Braemar Hospital. Yes

Scan for more > www.braemarhospital.co.nz 24 Ohaupo Road, Hamilton PO Box 972, Waikato Mail Centre 3240 Phone: 07 843 1899 | Fax: 07 834 3944