Welcome to Dr John Limbers

Dr John Limbers is a highly experienced specialist orthopaedic surgeon who practises in Sydney and on the Central Coast. He performs over 600 surgical procedures each year. He subspecialises in surgery for osteoarthritis of the lower limb. His areas of expertise include robotic anterior total hip replacement, robotic total and partial knee replacement, arthroscopic knee surgery and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. He graduated in Medicine from the University of NSW with First Class Honours. He completed Advanced Orthopaedic Training on the Sydney Northside Orthopaedic Training Scheme, and was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in 2003. He followed this with further sub-specialty experience at Addenbrooke’s University Hospital (Cambridge, England) and Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital (Dublin, Ireland). This focused on hip and knee replacement surgery, as well as reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, at high-volume surgical centres.  

 

HIP AND KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

Dr Limbers has a special interest in robotic hip and knee replacement surgery. He has completed over 2000 hip and knee replacement procedures, including primary surgeries and complex revisions. He performs hip replacement surgery through the anterior intermuscular approach. This allows patients to have accelerated rehabilitation and recovery, with less post-operative pain and no functional restrictions in the post-operative period. He is one of the first surgeons in Australia to perform Mako robotically assisted anterior total hip replacement surgery and Mako robitcally assisted knee replacement surgery. This reliably reproduces increased accuracy in the mechanical alignment of the prosthetic components, resulting in a lower incidence of implant failure. Dr Limbers uses a muscle sparing subvastus approach for total knee replacement surgery as well as multi-modal pain relief and local anaesthetic infiltration techniques to allow earlier mobilisation and discharge.

 

FOOT AND ANKLE SURGERY

Dr Limbers also specialises in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. This includes total ankle replacement, arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis, ankle and hindfoot reconstructive surgery and forefoot surgery. As an orthopaedic trauma surgeon he is responsible for the management of complex major trauma and secondary reconstructions.

 

RESEARCH AND TRAINING

Dr Limbers has considerable experience in research and training. He is currently an Australian Orthopaedic Association Director of Training. He is actively involved in the selection and training of orthopaedic trainees for the Australian Orthopaedic Association and Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He has presented at both national and international meetings. He has numerous clinical research publications and review articles in peer reviewed international journals. He is cited in Apley’s System of Orthopaedics and Fractures.

He is married with five children. His other pursuits include reading, surfing, rugby and violin (attaining AMEB Grade 6 in 1985). He also has an interest in aid projects to developing countries. He has organised and participated in voluntary work projects to Papua New Guinea, Tonga, The Philippines and Western Samoa.

 

CURRENT APPOINTMENTS

VMO at Sydney Adventist Hospital (The San)
VMO at Gosford Hospital
VMO at Gosford Private Hospital  
VMO at Berkeley Vale Private Hospital

 

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

1987 - graduated Sydney Grammar School
1988 -1994 - MB BS (Hons1) BSc(Med), University of New South Wales
1994 - 1996 - Resident Medical Officer, Royal North Shore Hospital Sydney
1997 - 2003 - Australian Orthopaedic Association Orthopaedic Training Programme (Sydney)
2004 - Foot and Ankle Fellowship at Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital Dublin, Ireland
2004 - Hip and Knee Fellowship at Addenbrook’s University Hospital, Cambridge, England       

Sydney Appointments (direct line) 0498 260 549
Central Coast Appointments 02 4393 3820