MBChB (honors in the preclinical and clinical years) (UCT), MRCS(UK), FCS(Neurosurgery)SA, FRACS (Neurosurgery), Clinical Senior Lecturer (University of Adelaide), Editorial Consultant for Spinal Surgery News.
Dr Sandler is a South African trained neurosurgeon and spinal surgeon and holds dual fellowship qualifications in neurosurgery from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa and The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (Australia.)
Dr Sandler’s interests include all spinal disorders (deformity, degenerative, trauma, inflammatory, tumour) and performs both invasive and minimally invasive spinal surgery (keyhole) as well as neurosurgical conditions with a special interest in tumours, infection and hydrocephalus.
Dr Sandler graduated from the University of Cape Town, South Africa as a doctor in 2000. After completing his internship and community service, with an interest and passion in spinal surgery, he furthered his training by working in a spinal service at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS trust in the UK. At this time, Dr Sandler completed the MRCS (UK) exams.
He then returned to South Africa where he completed an intensive neurosurgical training program with both adult and paediatric experience. Dr Sandler was awarded the chief registrar position in 2009 as well as the first funded department of education neurosurgical position. He obtained his Fellowship in Neurosurgery in 2009.
His post fellowship subspecialisation training included 2 Spinal Fellowships (Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross Children’s Hospital, Cape Town South Africa and Royal Adelaide Hospital and Women’s and Children’s Hospital, South Australia). Both these fellowships involved complex adult and paediatric spinal surgery. It was this second fellowship in 2011, which led Dr Sandler and his family to immigrate to Australia and Adelaide.
Doctor Sandler also successfully completed the Australian Fellowship examination on moving to Australia and is a full member of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Dr Sandler has worked as a Neuro/Spinal Fellow at Flinders Medical Centre and is currently a Consultant at Royal Adelaide Hospital where he works in both the department of Neurosurgery and Spinal Unit, Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics.
Dr Sandler is actively involved in academic research and teaching across both clinical units. He is an Editorial Consultant for Spinal Surgery News and also holds the position of Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Adelaide.
Dr Sandler recently became an Australian and has committed his practice to the service of the Australian community.
Simon looks forward to the opportunity to help you with the care of your patients. He is committed to education and informed decision-making as well as communication with patients and family.
Areas of Interest
Adult Lumbar Spine
Adult Cervical Spine
Adult thoracic spine
Adult Scoliosis and Kyphosis
Adult Spondylolisthesis
Spinal Tumours and Spinal Cord Tumours
Spinal Trauma
Spinal Infections
Brain Tumours
Hydrocephalus
Inflammatory or Infective conditions of the Brain
Brain Trauma
Peripheral Nerve
Chiari malformation and syringomyelia
Neuromodulation/Spinal Cord Stimulation
Current Appointments
Public Hospital Appointment
Director (Head of Unit) of Neurosurgery
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, SA
Public Hospital Appointment
Consultant Spinal Surgeon
Spinal Injuries Unit, Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, SA
Public Hospital Appointment
Consultant Neurosurgeon
Department of Neurosurgery
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, SA
Private Hospital Appointment
Spinal Surgeon and Neurosurgeon
St Andrew’s Hospital
Adelaide, SA
Private Hospital Appointment
Spinal Surgeon and Neurosurgeon
Memorial Hospital
Adelaide, SA
University Appointment
Senior Clinical Lecturer
University of Adelaide
Adelaide, SA
Other Appointment
Editorial Consultant for Spinal Surgery News
Adelaide, SA
Past Appointments
2012 – 2014 – Public Hospital Appointment
Neuro/Spinal Fellow
Department of Neurosurgery
Flinders Medical Centre
Adelaide, SA
2011 – 2012 – Spinal Fellowship
Spinal Fellow
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, SA
2010 – 2011 – Spinal Fellowship
Spinal Fellow
Department of Orthopaedics, Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit
Groote Schuur Hospital
Cape Town, South Africa
2009 – 2010 – Public Hospital Appointment
Junior Consultant Neurosurgeon
Department of Neurosurgery
Groote Schuur Hospital
Cape Town, South Africa
2009 – 2010 – University Appointment
Lecturer
University of Cape Town (UCT)
Cape Town, South Africa
Memberships
Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS Neurosurgery)
FRACS Neurosurgery
Fellow of the College of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (The Colleges of Medicine of South Africa)
FC(Neurosurg)SA
AO spine Full member
Health Professions Council of South Africa (Neurosurgeon)
Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency – AHPRA (Neurosurgeon)
General Medical Council (UK)
Spine Society of South Africa
Neurosurgical Society of South Africa
Society of Lateral Access Surgeons (SOLAS)
Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS)
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS)
RAH Trauma Committee
RAH Clinical Ethics Committee
St Andrew’s Hospital Medical Committee
Fellowships
2011 – 2012 – Spinal Fellow
Spinal Unit, Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide, SA
2010 – 2011 – Spinal Fellow
Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics
Groote Schuur Hospital
Cape Town, South Africa
2009 – 2010 – Neurosurgical Fellow
Department of Neurosurgery
Groote Schuur Hospital
Cape Town, South Africa
Academic Interests
2009
“Biomarkers in paediatric traumatic brain injury”
By Sandler SJI. Childs Nerv Syst 2009; 26:205-213
2007
“Intracranial pressure and cerebral oxygenation changes after decompressive craniectomy in a child with traumatic brain swelling”
By Sandler SJI. Childs Nerv Syst. 2007 Nov; 23(11): 1331-5
2008
“Continuous Monitoring and Intervention for Cerebral Ischemia in Tuberculous Meningitis”
By Sandler SJI, Figaji AA, Fieggen AG, Argent AC, Le Roux PD & Peter JC. Pediatr Crit Care Med. July 2008; 9(4):e25-30
“Lumbosacral epidural lipomatosis causing rapid onset cauda equina syndrome: case report”
By Sandler SJI, Wells A, McDonald MJ & Vrodos NJ. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience
“Detecting Facet Joint and Lateral Mass Injuries of the Subaxial Cervical Spine in Major Trauma Patients: Plain Radiographs are Inaccurate and Unreliable”
By Sandler SJI, Joost van Middendorp D, Cheung I, Dalzell K, Deverall H, Freeman BJC, Williams R & Goss B. Asian Spine Journal
Private Rooms
Adelaide Spine and Brain
208 Melbourne Street
North Adelaide, SA, 5006
Phone: 08 7231 5435
Fax: 08 8361 7701
Email: sandler.admin@spine.com.au
Public Hospital
Spinal Injuries Unit,
Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma
Royal Adelaide Hospital
North Terrace
Adelaide, SA, 5000
Phone: 08 8222 4466
Fax: 08 8222 2480
Email: leeanne.gladigau@health.sa.gov.au
Public Hospital
Department of Neurosurgery
Royal Adelaide Hospital
North Terrace
Adelaide, SA, 5000
Phone: 08 8222 5232
Fax: 08 8222 5886
Fee Structure
Please contact us for an up to date fee schedule; our fees are less than the current recommended rates provided by the Australian Medical Association (AMA), of which I am a member.
Initial consultations are typically 30 minutes in duration and follow-up appointments 15 minutes.
We request all fees for consultations are paid in full on the day of your appointment via EFTPOS, cash or Credit Card (most major cards accepted).
For your convenience we participate in HIC online which is an electronic claiming service provided by Medicare Australia.
Please bring with you to your Appointment
Referral from your Doctor or Specialist (if not already posted/forwarded)
X-Ray, CT Scans, Bone Scans and MRIs– please bring ALL your scans
Private Health Insurance Card
Medicare Card
Get in contact
To get in contact with Dr Sandler at Adelaide Spine and Brain:
Phone: 08 7231 5435
Fax: 08 8361 7701
Email: sandler.admin@spine.com.au
Address:
208 Melbourne Street
North Adelaide, SA 5006