Dr. Ruth Blackham | Specialist in Weight Loss Surgery.

About Dr Ruth Blackham

Dr Ruth Blackham is an Australian-trained Surgeon with two years of subspecialty Fellowships in Bariatric, Upper GI and Metabolic Surgery.

She is dedicated to ensuring surgical safety and quality practice, as well as a kind and caring demeanour. She has a passion for a healthy lifestyle and is a passionate advocate for engaging in patient’s wellbeing and future health goals.

Qualifications

MBBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (University of Western Australia)
MS Master of Surgery (University of Western Australia)
MLegM Master of Legal Medicine (Griffith University, Qld)
DCH Diploma of Child Health (Princess Margaret Hospital for Children)
DRANZCOG Diploma of Royal Australian/NZ College of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
VGDWH Vocational Graduate Diploma in Women’s Health (King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women)
FRACS Fellowship of The Royal College of Surgeons
FACLM Fellowship of the Australian College of Legal Medicine

Surgical Focus

Facial Injuries & Trauma
Orthognathic & Facial Corrective Surgery
Face & Neck Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery
Arthroscopic & Open Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Surgery
Facial Skin Cancer

Current Hospital Appointments

Public Hospitals

Visiting Specialist at
Surgical rights at

Private Hospitals

Visiting Specialist Hospital 1, Location
Visiting Specialist Hospital 1, Location

Current Private Practice Appointments

Director, Surgery, Location
Locum Specialist Hospital, Location
Independent Medical Expert, Hospital

Post-fellowship Training

Dr John Doe believes in continuous professional development and is currently completing further post-fellowship training in minimal access and minimally invasive management of TMJ disorders with world leading TMJ surgeons in the USA.

Minimally invasive, arthroscopic and open management of TMJ disorders
Advanced open and endoscopic techniques in face and neck cosmetic surgery
Latest digital dental implant training including All-on-4®, full arch and zygomatic implants
Training Dentists toward placing dental implants with predictable results

Postgraduate

Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (2018)
Final Examination Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Training (2018)
Master of Philosophy (Oral Cancer), University of Western Australia (2015)

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours 1st Class), University of Queensland (2013)
Bachelor of Surgery, University of Queensland (2007)
Bachelor of Medicine, University of Queensland (2007)
Bachelor of Business Management (Honour Roll), University of Queensland (2002)
Bachelor of Science, University of Queensland (2002)

Continuing Education

Advanced Surgical Training

2018 Accredited Registrar, Princess Alexandra Hospital
General Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
2017 Accredited Registrar, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Trauma Surgery, Orthognathic Surgery, General Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
2017 Accredited Registrar, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Head, Neck and Reconstructive Surgery

Basic Surgical Training

2010-2013 Unaccredited Registrar, Maxillofacial, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Royal Children’s Hospital, Mater Hospitals
2009-2010 Unaccredited Registrar, General Surgery
Rockhampton Base Hospital
2008-2009 Resident Medical Officer, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Transplant Surgery
Emergency Medicine
General Medicine
Vascular Surgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
General Surgery

Subspecialty Interest Courses

TMJ Surgical Mini-Residency, 2019-2020, USA

Diagnosis and treatment planning TMJ disorders
Basic and advanced arthroscopy including disc repositioning
Open arthroplasty
Open alloplastic total joint replacement
Diagnosis and collaborative non-surgical management

Facial Plastic Surgery 2019, Singapore

Endoscopic brow lift
Endoscopic midface lift
Facelift (small, medium, large)
Blepharoplasty
Brow Lift
Neck Lift
Submentoplasty

Comprehensive Live Cosmetic Surgery Workshop, 2019, USA

Facelift and Facial Liposuction
Eyelid Surgery
Facial Implants
Radiowave surgery and skin tightening
Laser resurfacing
Dermal fillers
Chemical Peels
Mole Removal

Conferences & Scientific Meetings

2016 ANZAOMS National Conference (Gold Coast)
2015 ICOMS (Melbourne)
2013 University of Queensland School of Dentistry Research Day (Brisbane)
2012 ANZAOMS National Conference (Sydney)
2012 ANZAOMS Queensland State Annual Conference (Gold Coast)
2012 University of Queensland School of Dentistry Research Day (Brisbane)
2011 ANZAOMS National Conference (Melbourne)
2011 ANZAOMS Queensland State Annual Conference (Gold Coast)
2009 ANZAOMS National Conference (Gold Coast)

Surgical or Anatomy Courses

2019 TMJ Mini-Residency, Level I-III Arthroscopy, Open Surgery, Replacement (New Jersey)
2016 Managing the Terminal Dentition with Graftless Protocol, Nobel Biocare (Gold Coast)
2016 Open Rhinoplasty, Blepharoplasty, Synthes and ANZAOMS (Brisbane)
2015 Advanced Arthroscopic Surgery, Sialoendoscopy, Skull Base Endoscopy (Melbourne)
2015 West Week Revision Course and TMJ Cadaver Workshop 5-day Course (Perth)
2014 Adelaide Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Surgical Science Training Examination (Adelaide)

Other Continuing Professional Development

2019 Basic Life Support ½ day course (Sunshine Coast)
2018 Oral Pathology Course (Christchurch)
2017 Oral Pathology Course (Christchurch)
2016 Paediatric Basic & Advanced Life Support 1-day course (Brisbane)
2016 Adult Advanced Life Support ½-day course (Brisbane)
2013 Allergan Botox and Fillers Training Courses (Brisbane)

Registrations & Accreditation

Specialist Registration AHPRA/ Medical Board: Registration number MED0001263972
Specialist Registration AHPRA/ Dental Board: Registration number DEN0001857423

Conference Papers

Wullschleger ME, Steck R, Doe J, Wilson K, Ito K, Schuetz MA. Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis: Advanced early fracture healing in a sheep trauma model. SCG (Swiss Surgical Society Conference) in Montreux, Switzerland, June 2009.
Wullschleger ME, Steck R, Doe J, Wilson K, Ito K, Schuetz MA. Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis accelerates early fracture healing in an ovine trauma model. 55th Annual Meeting, Orthopaedic Research Society, Las Vegas, USA, February 2009, Paper 809, pp 943.

Oral Presentations

National

2016 - Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) National Conference, Gold Coast, AUS, Oct 2016. Failure to diagnose oral cancer – who’s to blame.
2012 - Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) National Conference, Sydney, AUS, Oct 2012. Ultrasound guided arthrocentesis of the temporomandibular joint may reduce complication and improve training in the two needle technique.
2012 - Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) National Conference, Sydney, AUS, Oct 2012. Cambodian Case Study
2011 - Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) National Conference, Melbourne, AUS, Oct 2011. Hemifacial Microsomia: A review of literature and application to three case series.

State

2011 - Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) Queensland State Conference, Gold Coast, AUS, July 2011. Unusual radiographic presentation of a mixed osteoblastic and osteolytic lesion in mandible.
2009 - Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) Queensland State Annual Meeting, Noosa, AUS, June 2009. Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis: Advanced early fracture healing in a sheep trauma model.
2009 - Foundation in Head and Neck Nursing Queensland Conference, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, AUS, March 2009. TNM Classification in Head and Neck Cancer.
2007 - Showcase of Queensland Orthopaedic and Trauma Research, Brisbane, August 2007. Blood components and compartment monitoring of traumatised muscle in an ovine trauma model.

Local

2009 - Rockhampton Base Hospital Combined Morbidity and Mortality Meeting, Rockhampton, AUS, Dec 2009. General Surgery Department Audit of Mortality and Morbidity.
2009 - Rockhampton Base Hospital Grand Rounds, Rockhampton, AUS, Oct 2009. Management of neurosurgical trauma in rural and remote areas.
2009 - Rockhampton Base Hospital Medical Student Education, Rockhampton, AUS, Sept 2009. Identifying and managing skin lesions; naevi, BCC, SCC and melanoma.
2008 - Princess Alexandra Hospital General Medicine Case Presentation, Brisbane, AUS, July 2008. Acute or Decompensated Heart Failure: A Resident’s Dream.

Publications

Doe JD, Batstone M, Farah CS. Missed opportunities for o
Wullschleger MEOJO 2013

Completed Research

2015 Master of Philosophy Thesis, University of Queensland

“Opportunities for achieving early diagnosis of oral cancer within the medical profession in Australia.”

2013 Literature Review and Clinical Case Series, Mater and Sunnybank Hospitals

“Ultrasound guided arthrocentesis of the tem

Endorsements & Prizes

2012 George Christensen Memorial Prize, University of Ottawa, Awarded with GPA > 6.0 for 3rd Year, 4th Year, 5th Year BDSc

Who does AA Affect?

AA affects... Male, Female older patients etc

Who is at risk

How Does AA Affect Your Body? (if required)

Anatomy of ..

Health consequences

Impact of ..

Normal
Condition causes impact ... pain, restrictions
Which a does ...

What Causes AA?

The causes can include:

Age -
Trauma –
Sport –
Overuse –
Incorrect posture –
Health Conditions -
Previous Surgery –

Types of AA

List any types of the condition:

Symptoms of AA

Symptoms can include:

tenderness
redness
pain
swelling

Typically causes :

location
doing
restrictions
performance
lying, standing, walking etc
pressure

What are the Stages or Progression of AA

In the early stages, the pain ..
Later on, the pain may become
Stage I
Stage II
Stage III
Stage IV

How is AA Diagnosed

Patients who suspect they have AA require a fully diagnosis this can include:

Medical History

Your doctor will ask questions about:

Current symptoms and what if any activities aggravate your condition, or how injury was sustained,
Obtain a medical history including family or genetic links etc
Determine any related former conditions diseases and treatments,
Record health metrics (weight, mobility, blood pressure, heart rate, etc)
Confirm medications, past and present
Record habits, diet, exercise and other related actions
Understand any risk factors or related complications or links

Physical Examination

Your doctor perform comprehensive physical evaluation that can include:

Examining the affected area,
Evaluate any swelling, pain, bruising or other features, etc
Determine impact of condition such as range or motion, pain, diet, lifestyle,
Record levels or severity of any symptoms

Diagnostic Testing

Once your doctor has completed the physical examination further tests maybe required. These tests can help your doctor determine or eliminate possible causes or impacts, or complete the diagnostic process and can include:

Pathology - blood or other sample tests, lung functions, etc
X-Ray -
Ultrasound -
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Once a final diagnosis has been completed your doctor can discuss with you and recommend any treatment options.

Non Surgical Treatment for AA

Treatment for your condition can begin immediately and can include:

Pain Medication - to treat pain or discomfort including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) can relieve some
Inflammation Medication - may be prescribed to alleviate swelling including antibiotics for infection control
R.I.C.E. - To reduce the pain and swelling surrounding the injured area.
Rest: Rest the affected area as more damage could result from putting pressure on the injury.
Ice: Ice should be applied over a towel to the affected area
Compression: Wrapping with an elastic bandage or an elasticated tubular bandage can help to minimize the swelling.
Elevation: Elevating the injured area above heart level to help with any swelling and pain
Exercise - may be recommended
Bracing - may be recommended to brace
Taping - may be applied over the affected areas to reduce pain.
Orthotics - may be prescribed.
Injection Therapies - may be prescribed to reduce inflammation and accelerate the healing of the patellar tendon.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy - may be prescribed to accelerate healing.
Dry Needling - may be recommended to break up or destroy degenerative structures.
Hyperthermia Thermotherapy - may be recommended to heat and/or cool damaged tissues while allowing the surface level tissues to stay cool.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Treatment - may be recommended help to stimulate regeneration to damaged or torn soft tissue.
Aspiration - may be used to remove fluid and reduce swelling or inflammation to relieve pain.

Surgical Treatment for AA

In cases where either a conservative treatment has not resolved the problem or where a patient best or only treatment option is surgery, your doctor may recommend:

Surgery One - one line precis of the surgery with link
Surgery Two - one line precis of the surgery with link

What if AA goes Untreated?

Where untreated the condition can:

get worse
change shape
lifestyle difficulties
become increasingly painful
cause complications that can include:

Dr Ruth Blackham

Consultant Bariatric, Upper GI and General Surgeon