Dr. Nicholas Anthony Kruger
BSc. MBChB. FRCS (Edinburgh) FCOrthSA
HPCSA MP 0397580
BHF practice no: 028-00/0148628
Consultant Spinal Orthopaedic Surgeon: Groote Schuur Hospital and Western Cape Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit
Private Practice Sports Science Institute and Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital.
Lecturer and Examiner University of Cape Town Spinal and Orthopaedic Surgery for Undergraduate studies (Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Medical students) and Post Graduate Training (Specialist Registrars and Spinal fellows).
Memberships: SA Spine Society
: AO Spine International
: South African Orthopaedic Association and current Secretary
: The Colleges of Medicine of South Africa
INTRODUCTION
Dr Nicholas Anthony Kruger graduated University of Cape Town 1987 BSc(Zoology) before completing MBChB University of Stellenbosch in 1992. He completed internship in the Eastern Cape at a rural hospital where he developed his interest in Orthopedic Surgery. He moved to England in 1994 and completed his basic surgical training before becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh 1998. Returned to South Africa 1999 to take up a registrar post in the University of Cape Town Department of Orthopedics and graduated with FRCOrth(SA) 2004.
He took up a post as a Consultant Orthopedic Spinal Surgeon 2005 with the University of Cape Town and continues to this day.
Interests include sporting spinal injuries, trauma and degenerative spinal conditions.
Dr Nick Kruger has an active role in training at all levels in Orthopaedics and spinal surgery. He is part of the Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit based in Groote Schuur Hospital which drains the entire Western Cape and is one of the largest spinal injury units worldwide.
He lectures and examines Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students, Medical undergraduate and post graduate students and specialists in Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery.
He has a keen interest in research in spinal injuries and degenerative spinal conditions with several publications in peer reviewed journals.
Dr Kruger maintains an active role as faculty in local educational meetings, congresses and courses from Basic Surgical Skills Courses to Advanced Master Courses in Spinal Surgery.
Dr Kruger’s practise of spinal surgery is built on his considerable experience in spinal surgery, a knowledge and understanding of available validated scientific evidence ,an honest appraisal of different treatment regimes and empathy with patient’s needs, concerns and expectations.
Courses attended
Ionizing Radiation Protection Course 15/4/97 Brighton General
Basic Surgical Skills Course 21/11/97 Warwickshire
AO Basic Course for Orthopedic Surgeons Queens Medical Center1-5/7/96
Trauma and Burns Course 26/3/97 Queen Victoria Hospital
Head and Neck Trauma Course 6/5/97 Queen Victoria Hospital
ATLS 16/7/98 Guildford
Micro vascular Surgery January 2001 Groote Schuur Hospital
Fellowship of the College of Medicine of SA in Orthopedic surgery September 2003
Anatomical spinal approaches workshop November 2004 2005 and 2006 UCT
AO Advanced course in spinal surgery May 2005 Muldersdrift South Africa
AO masters course in Spinal Surgery DAVOS Switzerland December 2006
Synthes Cervical Arthroplasty Course ( Prodisc) 2007
Synthes Spine Observership Basel Switzerland 2009
Faculty and presentations
Spinal approaches courses UCT 2005, 2006, 2007; Thoraco-lumbar approaches
Christiaan Barnaard Memorial Hospital Cape Town 2006; Advances in Spinal Surgery
South African Spine Society meeting 2006: Surgery for thoracolumbar fractures, Surgery for axial backpain
South African Orthopedic Association regional meeting 2006: Fusion Vs Arthroplasty
Western Cape rehabilitation centre 2007: Current Advances in Spinal Surgery
AO SPINE Advanced Course 2007 South Africa; Lytic listhesis, Lysis, surgery for axial backpain, ALIF, Choice of anterior cervical instrumentation
Sports Science Institute Cape Town 2007: Clinical approach and management of acute low back in athletes
Christiaan Barnaard Memorial Hospital Cape Town 2007: Strategies in the aging spine
AO Spine Basic Course 2008: Spinal Biomechanics, Approaches and spinal instrumentation in the cervical spine.
SASS 2009: Cervical corpectomy and stand aloneACDF.
SASS 2010: Choice of fillers for vertebral augmentation
AOSpine Master Live Tissue Training: Surgical approaches with surgical complication management
