Neurosurgery (Children's)

 

The Paediatric Neurosurgery Unit  at Nottingham was founded in the 1990s by Jonathan Punt and Michael Vloeberghs  within the Nottingham Children's Hospital and  treats children and young people aged up to 18 who need surgery to their brain or spine. Our neurosurgery team now performs around 270 operations  each year and sees almost 1500 outpatients, treating children from across a wide catchment area which includes Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. We run  weekly general outpatient clinics and specialist clinics including neuro-oncology, spinal dysraphism and spasticity. Special interests within the department include surgery for spasticity ( NUH is one of the nationally designated centres for Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery) and tumour surgery with close links to the University of Nottingham's Childrens Brain tumour Research Centre. The department is equipped with modern  neuro navigation systems, intraoperative ultrasound, 5-ALA and ICG enabled microscopes and endoscopes. Our state of the art Intraoperative MRI scanner adjacent to neurosurgical theatres opens at the end of 2020 and will help us to provide best care for our paediatric tumour patients. 

We care for children who require neurosurgery for a variety of reasons including:

• Brain tumours
• Spine tumours
• Trauma – head and spine injuries
• Hydrocephalus
• Spasticity
• Spina bifida (open and closed)
• Vascular disorders 
• Epilepsy

Tel: 0115 924 9924
Ext: 89040

or 0115 970 9227

We have four children’s neurosurgical consultants alongside a number of neurosurgical registrars who you will meet during your child’s treatment.

 

Donald Macarthur

Specialist areas of interest:

• brain tumours
• paediatric neurosurgery
• neuroendoscopy
• Chairman of British Paediatric Neurosurgery Group

Tel: 0115 924 9924
Ext: 83063

 

Simon Howarth

Specialist areas of interest:

• paediatric neurosurgery
• complex spine
• brain tumours

Tel: 0115 924 9924
Ext: 81925

 

Michael Vloeberghs

Specialist areas of interest:

• paediatric neurosurgery
• neuroendoscopy
• functional neurosurgery – spasticity/epilepsy

Tel: 0115 924 9924
Ext: 83635

 

Mr Matthew Kirkman

Specialist areas of interest:

• general paediatrics
• paediatric spine and functional