One of Macquarie University Hospital’s orthopaedic surgeons, Associate Professor Munjed Al Muderis, has been named 2020 NSW Australian of the Year.
Associate Professor Al Muderis is highly regarded, both nationally and internationally, for his ground-breaking surgical work in limb amputation and complex limb reconstruction.
He has helped hundreds who have lost their limbs to disease, in war or in accidents to regain mobility through innovative approaches to prosthetic limb surgery.
While one of only a few surgeons worldwide with special expertise in trans-femoral and trans-humeral amputations, Associate Professor Al Muderis is best known for bringing osseointegration techniques to Australia.
More recently, he has collaborated with engineers to usher in the next generation of neuro-prosthetics by integrating an innovative neuro-machine interface into existing bionic limb replacement to give patients mind-controlled limbs with more natural limb mobility.
The innovative procedure takes existing targeted muscle reinnervation and bone-anchoring osseointegration techniques and adds implantable electrodes that capture complex brain signals and connect into the muscles and nerves.
Earlier this year, with long-term collaborating surgeon Dr Kevin Tetsworth, Associate Professor Al Muderis also performed an Australian first limb lengthening surgery, using the minimally invasive Precice® Bone Transport System.
Macquarie University Hospital Chief Executive Walter Kmet said that the Hospital was proud of the ground-breaking orthopaedic work done by Associate Professor Al Muderis.
“Macquarie University Hospital strongly supports Associate Professor Al Muderis in bringing surgical innovations to Australia,” said Mr Kmet.
“As a private, academic and not-for-profit Hospital, we are delighted to be able to make these life-changing procedures available to patients.”
Associate Professor Al Muderis came to Australia from Iraq after fleeing the tyranny of Saddam Hussein’s regime. He overcame extraordinary obstacles to become an orthopaedic surgeon, specialising in hip, knee and reconstructive surgery, and now advocates for the human rights of others.
A compassionate ambassador for multiple organisations, including the Red Cross, Associate Professor Al Muderis is a powerful advocate for humanitarian work supporting people seeking asylum and refugees.
He is also a supporter of the Invictus Games and has hosted a visit by Prince Harry to the MQ Health-based Osseointegration Clinic – now the Complex Limb Reconstruction Centre.
In 2017, Associate Professor Al Muderis received an Asia Game Changer Award and, in 2019, he was the first recipient of the GQ Men Of The Year Social Force Award in Abu Dhabi.
