By Dr Jacques Conradie — Neurosurgeon What is the leading cause of disability globally? It’s not trauma or stroke-related. The answer might shock you: it’s lower back pain. As we approach World Spine Day on 16 October, it is important to raise awareness about spinal pain, the disability it can cause, and the importance of
Back Pain: The Leading Cause of Disability Worldwide Read More »
By Dr Jacques Conradie — Neurosurgeon “AI Passes U.S. Medical Licensing Exam.” “Microsoft’s AI Is Better Than Doctors at Diagnosing Disease.” Elon Musk recently told students that medical school is “pointless” because AI will soon outperform doctors. Read enough headlines like these and it’s easy to conclude that AI has already surpassed the average clinician.
AI Is Better Than Doctors… Right? Read More »
By Dr Jacques Conradie — Neurosurgeon A cold evening. Hospital corridors stretch out ahead of me as I move from one ward to the next, finishing rounds and checking that patients are settled for the night. Before pushing through the next set of doors, I glance at my phone. The family WhatsApp group is alive
The Quiet Curriculum Read More »
By Dr Jacques Conradie — Neurosurgeon Why Men Bear the Brunt of Brain Injury and How Smart Technology Is Fighting Back Every minute, somewhere on a sports field, construction site, or highway, a man sustains a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It may result from a crushing tackle, a falling scaffold plank, or the violent force
By Dr Jacques Conradie — Neurosurgeon The Anatomy of Risk: Tobacco and the neurosurgery The operating room is dead silent. Not a whisper disturbs the sterile field; everyone present understands the precipice upon which they stand. The operating microscope hums quietly, its light focused intensely on a pulsating, paper-thin dome of tissue—an aneurysm ready to
The Anatomy of Risk: Tobacco and Neurosurgery Read More »
By Dr Jacques Conradie — Neurosurgeon When people imagine a pediatric neurosurgical ward, they often picture rare and dramatic conditions—complex brain tumours, unusual congenital deformities, or extremely rare syndromes. While these conditions do exist, the reality in many African hospitals is quite different. Walk into most pediatric neurosurgical units across the continent and you will
Children and the ‘Split Spine’: Understanding Spina Bifida in Africa Read More »
By Dr Jacques Conradie — Neurosurgeon In everyday life, most people experience occasional neurological symptoms such as mild headaches, moments of “brain fog,” forgetfulness, or dizziness. In most cases, these symptoms are harmless and temporary. The brain functions best under optimal conditions and is highly sensitive to lack of sleep, dehydration, low blood sugar, and
Is It Normal? A Guide to Common Brain Symptoms Read More »
