Meet Your Physician
Dr. Edward Abraham, MD, FRCSC
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network & Saint John Orthopaedics- Saint John NB
Assistant Professor: Dalhousie University & Memorial University of Newfoundland
Co-Founder: Canada East Spine Centre
Medical School: Dalhousie Unversity, Halifax NS, 1982
Internship: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 1983
Residency: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 1987
Spine Surgery Fellowship Training: University of Western Ontario, London ON, 1988
Additional Information: Dr. Abraham has been instrumental in creating a research environment for spinal conditions. He is a co-founder of Canada East Spine Centre, is actively involved in the Canadian Spine Outcomes Research Network and served as a Past President of the Canadian Spine Society. His extensive research experience includes authorship and co-authorship on numerous publications both non-operative and operative spine care; podium and poster presentations representing our research at local, regional, national and international orthopaedic and spine society meetings since 1988 (over 200 podiums, over 100 posters). To date, Dr. Abraham has raised over $2,000,000 locally for spinal surgical equipment, OR tables, C-arms, instrumentation and other necessary items to provide the most optimum modern spinal care. Spinal sub-specialty interests include:
• Adult and paediatric spinal deformity
• Reconstruction
• Motion sparing technologies
• Spinal surgery outcome studies
• Minimally invasive spine trauma and deformity techniques
Dr. Neil Manson, MD, FRCSC
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network & Saint John Orthopaedics- Saint John NB
Assistant Professor: Dalhousie University & Memorial University of Newfoundland
Co-Founder: Canada East Spine Centre
Medical School: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 1999
Residency: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 2004
Sports Medicine Fellowship Training: University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Ohio,2005
Spine Surgery Fellowship Training: Rush University, Chicago Illinois, 2006
Additional Information: Dr. Manson is a co-founder of Canada East Spine Centre, and has an extensive research interest in the area of spine care. He is an active contributor to the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network (CSORN) and sits on the CSORN Steering Committee. Dr. Manson's research has been acknowledged and accepted for presentation both nationally and internationally. Dr. Manson remains strongly committed to providing Sports Medicine care. He provides field of play and surgical coverage as the Head Team Physician for the QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs. He also provides care for the National Alpine Ski Team as a traveling Team Physician. He provided medical care at the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver for the Men's Alpine Ski venue in 2010. Special interests include:
• The use of bone morphogenic protein in obtaining fusion in lumbar spinal surgery
• Adjacent segment degeneration following lumbar fusion
• The challenges of complex thoracolumbar reconstruction
• Construct failure in thoracolumbar fusion
• The role of nerve root injections in alleviating the need for spinal surgery
• Tradition open versus minimally invasive surgery to treat degenerative pathology
Dr. Chris Small, MD, FRCSC
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Saint John):): Horizon Health Network & Saint John Orthopaedics- Saint John NB
Assistant Professor: Dalhousie University & Memorial University of Newfoundland
Medical School: Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, 2013
Residency: Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, 2018
Spine Surgery Fellowship Training: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto ON, 2019
Trauma Fellowship Training: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto ON, 2020
Additional Information: Dr. Small is heavily involved in teaching medical students and resident physicians. Dr. Small is an active contributor to the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network (CSORN) and has an active research practice focusing on diseases of the spine. His sub-specialty interests include:
• Treating Pathologies of the Spine
• Orthopaedic Trauma
Dr. Jacob Matz MD, FRCSC
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network & Saint John Orthopaedics- Saint John NB
Assistant Professor: Dalhousie University
Co-Founder: Canada East Foot & Ankle
Medical School: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 2013
Residency: University of Western Ontario, London ON, 2018
Foot & Ankle Orthopaedic Reconstruction Surgery Fellowship Training: University of Toronto, Toronto ON, 2019
Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Fellowship Training: University of California, San Francisco 2020
Additional Information: Dr. Matz is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in Foot & Ankle, and Orthopaedic Trauma surgery. He joined the Saint John Orthopaedic team in 2020 and sees patients with all types of pathology affecting the foot and ankle. He also has an interest in orthopedic trauma and deals with injuries affecting the upper & lower limbs, and pelvis. Dr. Matz is regularly involved in teaching residents and medical students from both Dalhousie University and Memorial University. He has an interest in research, particularly focusing on novel techniques, foot and ankle biomechanics, and clinical outcome studies. Special interests include:
• Total ankle replacement
• Minimally invasive foot surgery
• Deformity correction – pes planus and pes cavus
• Charcot arthropathy using internal and external fixation
Dr. Najmedden Attabib, MD, MBBCH, FRCSC
Neurosurgeon / Division Chief of Neurosurgery (Saint John): Horizon Health Network- Saint John NB
Medical School: Tripoli University, Tripoli, Libya
Residency: University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB, 2007
Spine Surgery Fellowship Training: University of Calgary, Calgary AB, 2008
University Teaching Certificate: University of New Brunswick, Saint John NB, 2011
Additional Information: Dr. Attabib is the local principal investigator for Praxis' Rick Hansen Institute’s National Spinal Cord Injury Registry & co-investigator for the Canadian Spine Society Registry. He performed the first series of interlaminar endoscopic discectomy cases in Canada improving patient recovery time. Dr. Attabib is the director of teaching in the division of Neurosurgery and also supervises the Dalhousie Neurosurgery program residents while rotating in Saint John. He is an active member of the Dalhousie Neurosurgery Residency Program Committee. Special interests include:
• Minimal invasive and Endoscopic spine surgery
• Cervical spine trauma
• Spinal motion preservation including disc arthroplasty
• Spinal cord injury
• Spinal cord tumours
Dr. George Kolyvas, MD, MBBS, FRCSC
Neurosurgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network- Saint John NB
Medical School: University of West Indies, Jamaica, 1984
Residency: Victoria General Hospital, Halifax NS, 1994
Additional Information: Dr. Kolyvas is the Clinical Division Head of the Division of Neurosurgery at the Saint John Regional Hospital. He has been part of the multidisciplinary team caring for patients with degenerative and traumatic spine disease since 1996. He offers extensive experience in cervical spine care. Special interests include:
• Management of degenerative and traumatic pathologies of the cervical spine.
• Neuromodulation and spinal cord stimulation.
• Stereotactic radiotherapy to manage malignant and benign brain tumours and vascular malformations.
• Medical/surgical collaboration to manage malignancies of the CNS and axial skeleton.
Dr. André le Roux, M.B.;Ch.B., MD, FCS (SA) Neurosurgery
Neurosurgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network- Saint John NB
Medical School: University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, 1992
Residency: Albert Luthi Hospital, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban South Africa, 2006
Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery Fellowship Training: Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto ON, 2009
Skull base & Neuro-Oncology Fellowship Training: Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto ON, 2010
Additional Information: As a member of the Division of Neurosurgery at the Saint John Regional Hospital, Dr. le Roux is part of the multidisciplinary team caring for patients with degenerative and traumatic spine disease.
Dr. Aaron Robichaud, MD, MSc, FRCSC
Neurosurgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network- Saint John NB
Medical School: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 2012
Residency: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 2019
Lateral Skull Base Surgery Fellowship Training: Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, 2020
Additional Information: As a member of the Division of Neurosurgery at the Saint John Regional Hospital, Dr. Robichaud is part of the multidisciplinary team caring for patients with degenerative and traumatic spine disease. Special interests include:
• Management of degenerative and traumatic pathologies of the cervical and lumbar spine
• Surgical management of tumours of the lateral skull base
• Medical/surgical collaboration to manage malignancies of the CNS
• Surgical management of trigeminal neuralgia
Dr. Sean Comstock, CD, MD, FRCSC, FAAOS
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Moncton): Horizon Health Network & Moncton Orthopaedic Group- Moncton NB
Assistant Professor: Dalhousie University
Clinical Assistant Professor: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Medical School: Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, Halifax NS, 1998.
Family Medicine Residency: St. Mary’s Hospital Centre, McGill University, Montreal QC, 2000
Orthopaedic Surgery Residency: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 2008
Combined Orthopaedic & Neurosurgical Spine Fellowship Training: University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, 2009
Additional Information: Dr. Comstock has been a Medical Officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. He is also an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Dalhousie University and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Memorial University in Newfoundland
Dr. Adrienne Kelly, MD, FRCSC CIME
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Sault Ste. Marie): Sault Area Hospital- Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Assistant Professor: Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Medical School: University of Western Ontario, London ON, 2006
Residency: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 2011
Adult Spine Fellowship Training: University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, 2012
Additional Information: Dr. Kelly's research interests have included research involving spinal adverse event reporting, biomechanics, biologics/spinal fusion, and cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Special interests include:
• Adult spinal pathology
• Total hip and knee arthroplasty
Dr. Stuart McGregor
Neurosurgeon (Sudbury): Health Sciences North- Sudbury ON
Associate Professor: Northern Ontario School of Medicine- Sudbury ON
Medical School: University of Western Ontario, 2013
Residency: University of Western Ontario, 2019
Spine Fellowship Training: University of Calgary, 2019
Additional Information: Dr. McGregor is a member of the Neurosurgery Service at Health Sciences North in Sudbury, ON. He has established the Sudbury Spine Research Group with the help of CESC. His research and clinical interests include:
• Management of degenerative pathologies of the spine.
• Spontaneous intracranial hypotension.
• Management of traumatic spinal injuries.
• Minimally invasive surgery.
Dr. Stefano Priola
Neurosurgeon (Sudbury): Health Sciences North
Associate Professor: Northern Ontario School of Medicine University
Medical School: Universita' degli Studi di Messina, Italy, 2008
Residency: Universita' degli Studi di Messina, Italy, 2015
Neuro-oncology & Skull Base Surgery Fellowship Training: Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto ON (Under supervision of Prof. Fred Gentili) 2017
General Neurosurgery Fellowship Training: Sunnybrook Health Science Center, University of Toronto, Toronto ON (Under supervision of Prof. Todd Mainprize & Prof. Leodante daCosta) 2019
Open Vascular & Endovascular Neurosurgery Fellowship Training: Sunnybrook Health Science Center, University of Toronto, Toronto ON (Under supervision of Prof. Leodante daCosta) 2020
Dr. Amparo Wolf
Neurosurgeon (Sudbury): Health Sciences North
Associate Professor: Northern Ontario School of Medicine
Medical School: University of Toronto, 2012
Residency: University of Western Ontario, 2018
Adult Spine Fellowship Training: MD Anderson, Houston Texas 2019
Dr. Philippe Phan, MD PhD FRCSC
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Ottawa): Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus- Ottawa, ON
Associate Professor: University of Ottawa
Medical School: University of Ottawa, Ottawa ON, 2006
Residency: Université de Montréal, Montreal PQ, 2011
Adult Spine Fellowship Training: Harvard University, Massachusetts USA, 2013
Additional Information: Dr. Phan's areas of expertise include Spine surgery, Spinal deformity (scoliosis, kyphosis), Degenerative spine disease, primary and metastatic spine disease, Cervical disc arthroplasty, Minimally invasive surgery and spinal fusion. His areas of research explores:
• Spinal cord injury
• Machine learning and data mining of surgical databases
• Minimally invasive surgery.
Dr. Brendan Sheehan, MD, FRCSC
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network & Saint John Orthopaedics- Saint John NB
Medical School: Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL, 2009
Residency: University of Calgary, Calgary AB, 2014
Sports Medicine, Shoulder & Knee Reconstruction Fellowship Training: University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC, 2015
Additional Information: Dr. Sheehan is active in research involving the treatment of early arthritis, surgical outcomes in knee/shoulder reconstruction, and development of treatment guidelines. His research has been presented and published both nationally and internationally. He is integrally involved in the Canadian Orthopaedic Association and is a member of the executive committee for the Arthroscopy Association of Canada.
Dr. Stephen Connolly, MD, FRCSC
Orthopaedic Surgeon (Saint John): Horizon Health Network & Saint John Orthopaedics- Saint John NB
Medical School: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 1993
Residency: Dalhousie University, Halifax NS, 1998
Trauma and Joint Arthroplasty Reconstruction Fellowship Training: St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto ON, 1999
Additional Information: Dr. Connolly took over as the Orthopaedic Clinical Department Head in 2004. His leadership role within the medical community in Saint John is extensive and he provides expert opinion and guidance within a number of committees focused on optimizing surgical access, patient safety and resource utilization. Dr. Connolly has contributed to several local research projects, including lumbar spine surgery and joint arthroplasty outcomes research.