Internationally renowned surgeon operates in Tauranga

26 November 2012

Internationally renowned surgeon operates in Tauranga Hospital

Urology surgeon Mr Bruce Blyth has been operating on children with complex paediatric needs in Tauranga Hospital.

Mr Blyth was on his 20th trip to New Zealand where he spends 2-3 days operating on children aged from one year old.

Mr Blyth is brought to Tauranga by Venturo, a company owned 50/50 by the Bay of Plenty DHB and Urology Bay of Plenty Ltd. Venturo was set up in 1993 and bringing surgeons such as Mr Blyth to the Bay of Plenty demonstrates how public urology patients have benefited from this public/private partnership.

Urologist, Mr Mark Fraundorfer, said, “Bringing international surgeons to operate in Tauranga has resulted in many initiatives including keyhole surgery, laser prostate surgery and the introduction of a variety of other new techniques, which keeps Tauranga at the cutting edge.”

“The Venturo deal provides all public urology care in the Bay of Plenty. We surgeons have significant input into how our budget is spent and are contracted to see patients in Tauranga Hospital’s outpatient clinic and to operate within the public hospital.”

Also part of this partnership is the provision of on-going education for Bay of Plenty surgeons themselves, with world authorities coming to Tauranga to perform urological reconstructive and paediatric surgery.

Urologist, Associate Professor Peter Gilling said Mr Blyth is a world authority in paediatric surgery and “It’s great to have him operating in Tauranga Hospital, where not only do our children with complex surgical needs benefit, but Bay of Plenty doctors are able to observe and learn.”

During his visit Mr Blyth was completing hypospadias repairs on children, a congenital condition that occurs in one in 150 births. He was assisted by paediatric urologist Mr Liam Wilson.

In America Mr Blyth said the hypospadias repair “is what I do every day but it occurs less frequently in New Zealand.”

Mr Blyth left New Zealand in 1985 and is based in Denver, Colorado. He is originally from Motueka in the Tasman region of New Zealand.

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