Professor Richard Bittar is an experienced neurosurgeon and spinal surgeon who specialises in the treatment of spinal conditions, movement disorders and other intracranial conditions.

Professor Bittar was the first spinal surgeon in Victoria to carry out robotic spinal surgery, and employs a variety of minimally invasive, robotic and navigated surgical techniques to offer spinal surgery as safely as possible.

He previously ran the largest Psychosurgery service in Australasia. He has published dozens of scientific articles, and has presented his work at numerous national and international meetings.

Most recently, he has partnered with FMIG to bring the first MR guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) technology to Victoria (only the second in Australia). MRgFUS is an incisionless way of treating tremor, Parkinson’s disease and chronic pain.

Professor Bittar is a highly regarded medico legal examiner, with a wealth of experience in assessing Workcover, TAC and medical negligence claims – and is very experienced with Court appearances as an expert witness.

He was the first surgeon in Victoria to perform:

• Robotic spinal surgery
• Deep Brain stimulation for Tourette’s, chronic pain, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder
• Stereotactic radiosurgery for brain tumours

Clinical Interest Include:

• Robotic spinal surgery
• Disc prolapse and spinal stenosis
• Deep brain stimulation
• Brain tumours

Spinal and Peripheral Nerve Surgery
• Cervical and lumbar spine surgery
• Keyhole and complex spinal surgery
• Spinal cord and occipital nerve stimulation
• Carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve surgery

Deep Brain Stimulation

• Parkinson’s disease
• Essential Tremor
• Tourette’s syndrome

Brain and Spinal Tumours

• Gliomas, Metastases, Meningiomas

Approach to Patient Care

• Compassionate care
• Quality clinical opinions

Education and Training

• MBBS (Hons) and PhD, The University of Sydney
• FRACS Neurosurgery
• Fellowship in Functional Neurosurgery, Oxford

Special Services

• Semi-urgent appointments
• Workcover and Motor Accident patients
• GP telephone advice

Learn more about Professor Bittar’s recent patient with Parkinson’s and his remarkable brain surgery journey >