Surgery

Rowah Kaddour still has nightmares about the putrid smell of rotting skin emanating from her abdomen after undergoing cosmetic surgery that went horribly wrong, writes Adele Ferguson.

After seven years trying for a family, Marni Cochrane was more than halfway through her first pregnancy with identical twin girls when they were diagnosed with a rare and potentially life-threatening medical condition.

A South Australian mother with a rare blood type has thanked the public and medical staff who made it possible for her to undergo heart surgery.

Health officials have won a court order authorising them to give a transfusion to a Jehovah's Witness toddler whose parents, due to their religious beliefs, did not consent to the use of blood.

The brown brick hospital on the main drag into Bundaberg is an unassuming building, but many locals are still traumatised by what went on here when Jayant Patel, aka Dr Death, was director of surgery.

A Newcastle woman whose daughter spent a month in hospital after having life-saving surgery is urging people to be aware of the hidden danger a common cleaning tool can pose.

Menasheh was born almost eight weeks premature, weighing just 1,524g — the tiniest baby ever to undergo open heart surgery at the Queensland Children's Hospital.

Obesity experts and patient groups are concerned an over-reliance on body mass index (BMI) is leading to some people being abandoned by the health system and denied life-changing surgery or treatment.

Australia's medical regulator says it is cracking down on cosmetic procedures such as botox and fillers, after a series of complaints about botched procedures.

Australia's health regulator says it will be expanding its crackdown on cosmetic surgery to include Botox and other injectables.

Australia's medical regulator says it is cracking down on cosmetic procedures such as botox and fillers, but those living with the long-term impacts of botched procedures say the focus has come too late.

After undergoing surgery that was life-saving but also life-changing, Alice Colgrave agreed to a photo shoot that made her see herself in a new, powerful and positive light.

Almost immediately after an emergency C-section, Adrianna Contoleon was in theatre again — this time for brain surgery. 

Only one in five general surgeons in Australia is a woman, but a study shows flexible working conditions are a huge drawcard to practice in rural areas.

Only one in five general surgeons in Australia is a woman but that number falls to just 16 per cent outside the big cities, according to new research. 

With only 18 per cent of graduates choosing to be GPs, and even fewer moving to work in regional Australia, replacing retiring country doctors is only getting harder.

Standard surgery for rheumatoid arthritis could have only further limited Tracy Howlett's movement, so surgeons did something "unconventional" instead. 

Tracy Howlett uses Auslan to communicate. But it all became "debilitating and painful" after the 59-year-old, who is deaf, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Standard surgery for rheumatoid arthritis would create further limitations on Ms Howlett's ability to communicate. So, Queensland hand surgeons performed "unconventional" wrist replacement surgery so she can regain her "voice".

Tracey Howlett, who uses Auslan, got "unconventional" wrist surgery after arthritis made it painful to communicate. Her case promoted further research into how to care for people who are deaf and have develop arthritis. The new study found Auslan communicators required 122 degrees of flexion/extension motion in their wrist and 111 degrees of motion in their elbow to communicate effectively.

Transgender people are stuck on waiting lists for years and spending tens of thousands of dollars to access gender-affirming surgery, but now an application has been made to list the procedures as specific Medicare items.

Harry had a condition known medically as gastroschisis — a hole in his abdominal wall. 

Surgery to decrease bra cup sizes is on the increase in Australia. Helen Stojanovski just wishes she'd booked her surgery sooner.

Deformities, nerve damage, psychological trauma, loss of function of limbs. It's quite the list of allegations in what is shaping up as one of Australia's biggest-ever cosmetic surgery class actions, writes Adele Ferguson. 

Noah Hallam has had a tough journey. His family says meeting a 36ers star has given him a boost.

Gert-Jan Oskam was paralysed after a spinal cord injury. He has undergone neurosurgery installing a brain-spine interface which allows him to walk.