Lumbar, Thoracic and Cervical Disc Protrusions

Disc protrusions may occur anywhere along the spine but the most common regions are the cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back). A/Prof Mitchell Hansen often performs minimal access or ‘keyhole’ spine surgery to help reduce pain.

Brain Surgery

A/Prof Hansen provides comprehensive cranial neurosurgical care, including the treatment of brain tumours, cerebrovascular conditions, and traumatic brain injury.

Key Hole Surgery

A/Prof Hansen frequently performs minimally invasive, or ‘key-hole’, surgery — techniques that use small incisions to access the brain and spine. These approaches can offer faster recovery, shorter hospital stays, and reduced infection risk compared with traditional open surgery. A/Prof Hansen is a member of the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (SMISS) and is highly trained in key-hole techniques for both cranial and spinal procedures.

Brain Tumours

Brain tumours generally fall into two categories: those that originate within the brain tissue itself (primary tumours), and those that have spread to the brain from cancer elsewhere in the body (metastatic tumours, or metastases). A/Prof Hansen is highly experienced in managing the full range of brain tumours in both paediatric and adult patients, from diagnosis through to surgical treatment.

Hydrocephalus & Shunts

The term “hydrocephalus” comes from the Greek words hydro (water) and cephalus (head), and refers to a build-up of excess fluid within the brain. Shunts are small devices that create a passage to drain this fluid away, redirecting it to another part of the body where it can be safely absorbed. A/Prof Hansen performs shunt surgery to treat hydrocephalus, relieving pressure on the brain and preventing associated complications.

Spinal Surgery

A/Prof Hansen performs the full spectrum of spine surgery, from the neck to the base of the spine. His expertise spans minimally invasive procedures through to large, complex spinal surgery, covering all spinal conditions — including degenerative disease, scoliosis, trauma, tumours, and vascular conditions.

Spinal Canal Stenosis

Spinal canal stenosis is a condition caused by narrowing of the spinal canal due to excess bone growth or tissue such as cartilage. A/Prof Hansen can perform decompressive spine surgery for this condition. This can often be minimally invasive surgery and only involve an overnight stay in hospital.