ABOUT
MR KEAT OOI
Orthopaedic Spine Surgeon
MBBS, BMed Sci, FRACS, FAOrthA
Mr Keat Ooi is a consultant orthopaedic and spine surgeon at Austin Health and a private practitioner. He consults and operates at Epworth, Warringal, and Knox Private Hospitals.
Keat is focused exclusively on spinal conditions, making him a true specialist in this delicate area.
He is also devoted to using state-of-the-art techniques in spinal surgery, including robotic spine surgery and endoscopic spinal surgery. He also has a particular interest in cervical disc replacement and lumbar decompression.
He also believes in involving his patients in every aspect of their treatment so that they are in complete control of their medical care.
Mr Ooi graduated from the University of Melbourne and is a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian Orthopaedic Association.
Read more about Keat’s treatment philosophy for adult spinal deformity and degenerative disorders below…
- Keat received his medical degree from the University of Melbourne in 2005.
- He furthered his orthopaedic surgical training at the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) Victoria and Tasmania and was awarded his fellowship in 2017 by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
- His special interest in treating spine conditions culminated in his completion of the AOA Clinical and Research Fellowship in Spinal Surgery at Austin Health and Combined Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Spinal Fellowship at Macquarie University Hospital, New South Wales.
- He is appointed as a consultant orthopaedic and spine surgeon at Austin Health and also has a private practice.
Keat takes pride in keeping his peers up to date with the latest techniques in complex spine surgery.
He is also keenly interested in teaching orthopaedic trainees and medical students by attending various seminars.
ACUTE DISC HERNIATION SPECIALIST
A herniated disc, also called disc prolapse, can be a debilitating condition. Keat is known for his expertise in spinal fusion, a procedure that involves connecting two or more vertebrae in the spine to reduce pain and improve spinal stability.
While his specialty is correcting acute disc herniation in the cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) areas of the spine, Keat offers treatment and management for conditions such as:
- Radiculopathy
- Sciatica
- Degenerative disc disease
- Degenerative scoliosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal tumour
So whether you suffer from back pain, disc herniation, lumbar spine issues, cervical spine pain, advanced degenerative spinal disease (scoliosis) or other complex spinal deformities, Keat might be able to help.
We aim to see patients with acute disc prolapse within 2 weeks.
ROBOTIC SPINE SURGERY
Minimally invasive spine surgery
Keat was the first to perform a spinal fusion using the Mazor X Robotic Guidance System at Warringal Private Hospital back in 2021. The case was a great success!
Since that operation, Keat has performed many spinal surgeries using this system.
Keat eagerly embraces robotics and computer navigation and is very excited to see what the future holds!
Want to know more about robotic spinal surgery? (CLICK HERE)
ENDOSCOPIC SPINE SURGERY
Keyhole spine surgery
In addition to his interest in robotic technology, Keat is also trained in endoscopic spine surgery -another minimally invasive technique.
Traditional open spine surgery requires sizeable incisions and a lengthy recovery period. On the other hand, endoscopic surgery, also known as keyhole surgery, is an ultra-minimally invasive form of spine surgery. This technique combines tiny incisions with a high-definition camera to perform a wide range of procedures, minimising the disruption to normal tissues.
Keat recently refreshed his training in Seoul to stay current with the latest thinking in spine surgery.
PHILOSOPHY
There is a saying that surgeons like to cut. However, Keat does not believe in overprescribing surgery.
Where possible, Keat will offer minimally invasive treatment options that don’t include surgery. These management strategies may consist of osteo, physio, or cortisone therapies.
Often, patients come to Keat having exhausted all their options, and in these cases, they may require spinal surgery.
So, whichever treatment path you choose, the goal is always to get you back to normal function as quickly as possible.
So, it’s natural that patients have lots of questions.
Keat listens.
Never in a hurry to get you out the door, Keat always takes the time to talk to his patients. He will listen to you and take time to answer all your questions during an appointment.
He believes that patients should maintain complete control of their treatment from beginning to end.
OUR TEAM
Keat Ooi Surgery has a friendly team with plenty of medical knowledge in complex spine surgery to support you.
Lucinda Cartwright is the practice nurse and also manages the clinic.
Every patient has unique needs when visiting an orthopaedic surgeon.
So, along with the other front office staff, Lucinda is here to answer all of your questions and help you along your patient journey.
Did you just search for spinal surgeon near me?
If so, Dr Keat Ooi Keat offers high quality treatment of degenerative conditions, back pain and offer complex spinal deformity correction.
He consults out of three locations across Melbourne:
Keat also operates out of Epworth Hospital, Knox Private Hospital and Warringal Private Hospital.
With an allied heath team of Physio Therapists, Osteopaths and pain management specialists across Melbourne, we are sure to have treatment options in a location that suits you.
Keat Ooi, Back Surgeon