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Dr Paul Licina

Paul Licina, M.B.,B.S. (Hons), F.R.A.C.S. (Orth), F.A.O.A., Adjunct Professor, QUT, is a spinal surgeon based at the Holy Spirit Northside Hospital in Chermside, Brisbane. He qualified as an orthopaedic surgeon in Queensland and then undertook further spinal training under world-renowned spinal surgeon John Webb in Nottingham, England.

Although his primary interest is degenerative spinal conditions, in particular back pain, he treats all conditions of the spine. He has a public appointment at the Mater Childrens Hospital where he cares for children with scoliosis and other spinal deformities.

Despite his busy private practice, he devotes considerable time to research and education. He helped establish the AO Spine Centre of Excellence in Brisbane and oversaw its incorporation into the QUT Orthopaedic and Trauma Research Group, and has been granted the title of Adjunct Professor by the QUT. More recently he has established the QUT Northside Spine Research Group.

He has traveled extensively both nationally and internationally as faculty for various spine courses and conferences. He has published a number of papers, and is currently involved in ground-breaking research involving spinal cord injury, being part of the team that performed the world's first transplant of specialized olfactory cells into the spinal cord of a paralysed patient in an attempt to develop a technique to promote spinal cord recovery. His current research interests involve computer-assisted image-guided surgery and less invasive spinal surgery including bone graft alternatives.

He lives in Brisbane with his wife and two daughters. He is pursuing interests in cycling, sailing, motorsports, and enjoys travel and fine wine and food.

Qualifications

Academic positions

Adjunct Professor, Orthopaedic Research, Queensland University of Technology

Degrees

  • FRACS (Orth) - Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (Orthopaedic Surgery) (January 1997)
  • M.B.,B.S (Hons) - Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery with 2nd Class Honours (University of Qld 1987)

Current Appointment

  • Spinal Surgeon, Private Practice, Holy Spirit Northside Private Hospital
  • Visiting Consultant Paediatric Spinal Surgeon, Mater Childrens Hospital

Fellowship

Fellow in Spinal Surgery (May 1997 – April 1998), Centre for Spinal Surgery, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, England

Past Positions

  • Chairman, AO Spine Asia-Pacific 2000-2002
  • Clinical director, QUT-AO Spine Centre, Brisbane, Australia 2001-2004
  • Scientific secretary, Australian Orthopaedic Association Queensland Branch 2002-2005

Memberships

  • Australian Orthopaedic Association (Fellow)
  • Spine Society of Australia (Fellow)
  • Australian Medical Association (Specialist Member)

Book Chapters

"Chapter 61. Posterior Cervical Osteotomy", Paul Licina and Geoffrey N Askin, in “Spine Surgery. Tricks of the Trade. 2nd edition”. Alexander Vaccaro and Todd Albert, Thieme (in press).

Papers Published

  • “Autologous olfactory ensheathing cell transplantation in human spinal cord injury”, Feron F, Perry C, Cochrane J, Licina P, Nowitzke A, Urquhart S, Geraghty T, Mackay-Sim A, Brain. 2005 Dec;128(Pt 12):2951-60  
  • “Approach and considerations regarding the patient with spinal injury” Licina P, Nowitzke AN, Injury, 2005, Jul; 36 (Suppl 2)
  • “Posterior lumbar interbody fusion combined with instrumented posterolateral fusion – 10 year results in 60 patients”, Freeman BJ, Licina P, Mehdian SH, European Spine Journal, 2000, Feb: 9(1):42-6
  • “Cervical osteotomy for ankylosing spondylitis: an innovative variation on an existing technique”, Mehdian SM, Freeman BJ, Licina P, European Spine Journal, 1999:8(6):505-9
  • "The Orthopaedic Workforce in Queensland - Now and into the 21st Century", Paul Licina and Terence P McGuire, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery, 1993, 63, 435-442

Invited papers

Surgery for Back Pain, How to Treat, Australian Doctor, 12th May, 2006

Presentations

  • “BMP does not improve clinical outcome in Interbody fusions”, Licina P, Lisle D, Sutton C. Spine Society of Australia, Annual Scientific Meeting April 2009, Brisbane. Paper no 10.05.
  • “I-Cobb – an innovative technique in spinal radiographic measurement” Shaw M, Izatt M, Adam C, Licina P, Askin G. Spine Society of Australia, Annual Scientific Meeting April 2009, Brisbane. Paper no 2.05.
  • “Early complications associated with BMP in TLIF”, Licina P, Lisle D, Sutton C. Spine Society of Australia, Annual Scientific Meeting April 2008, Adelaide.

Participation in Teaching

  • Course Chairman, AO International Courses in Spine Surgery
    • Johannesburg, South Africa, January 2003
    • Tokyo, Japan, September 2002
    • Brisbane, Australia, February 2002
    • Taipei, Taiwan, July 2001
    • Taipei, Taiwan, May 2000
  • Faculty Member, AO International Courses in Spine Surgery
    • Kuala Lumpar, October 2009
    • Davos, Switzerland, December 2008
    • Phuket, Thailand, March, 2006
    • Mumbai, India, June, 2005
    • Sun Valley, USA, January, 2005
    • Sun Valley, USA, January, 2004
    • Davos, Switzerland, December, 2003
    • Adelaide, Australia, October, 2003
    • Tokyo, Japan, September, 2003
    • Davos, Switzerland, December 2002
    • Newport, USA, October 2002
    • Queenstown, New Zealand, July 2002
    • Davos, Switzerland, December 2001
    • Kobe, Japan, September 2001
    • Marco Island, USA, August 2001
    • Davos, Switzerland, December 2000
    • Tokyo, Japan, October, 2000
    • Seoul, Korea, August, 2000
    • Davos, Switzerland, December 1999
    • Kobe, Japan, September, 1999
    • Beijing and Hangzhou, China, April 1999
    • Hong Kong, March 1999
    • Tokyo, Japan, October 1998        
    • Davos, Switzerland, December 1997
    • Nottingham, England, November 1997

Course Chairman

  • Advances in Spine, Hunter Valley Australia, August, 2009
  • Advances in Spine, Port Douglas, Australia, August, 2005
  • Backs to the Future Spine course, Brisbane, Australia, June 2003

Faculty Member

  • Depuy Elevating Best Practice in Spine
    • Brisbane, November, 2005
    • Sydney, November, 2006
  • Stryker Complex Spine Symposium
    • Ayers Rock, May 2005
    • Coolum, May 2004

Invited Speaker

  • Synthes Cadaver Advanced Course, Brisbane, November 2009
  • Korean Spine Society, February 2005
  • Continuing Medical Education Programme in Spinal Surgery, China, June 1999
  • International Society for Fracture Repair Annual Scientific Meeting, HongKong, September 2000

Lecturer

  • Physiotherapy undergraduate course
  • University of Queensland
  • Griffith University

Participation in Research

Spinal Regeneration Project, Princess Alexandra Hospital and Griffith University, Collaborator and Implantation Surgeon

Download a detailed CV including papers published, invited papers and more.