Bjios Dr Rajendra Tiruchelvarayan

Dr Rajendra Tiruchelvarayan

Subspecialty:
Spine Surgery, Paediatrics Neurosurgery

Education:
MBBS, MRCS (Ireland), MMed(Surgery), FRCS(UK)(Neurosurgery)

Dr Raj is a Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon who treats a wide range of General Neurosurgical Conditions, and his two areas of sub-speciality include: spine surgery and children’s neurosurgery. After completing his basic neurosurgery training in Singapore, he was awarded a Ministry of Health Fellowship(HMDP) to the UK from 2005-2006. He continued his further speciality training in London UK, at St George’s Hospital(Atkinson Morley Wing) in 2005. In St George’s Hospital, he trained in the treatment of patients with Head injury, Brain tumors, Strokes and Aneurysms. Subsequently, he underwent further training at King’s College Hospital.

During this period he trained in complex spine surgery, including Lumbar fusion methods and Cervical artificial disc replacement. He subsequently presented the surgical results at the British Cervical Spine Society Meeting. Dr Raj also was trained in Neuro-Endoscopic Surgery there, and the successful usage of this minimally invasive technique in Children’s Brain disorders. He successfully obtained the FRCS(UK)(Neurosurgery) qualification in 2006. After this, he completed a further fellowship at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Queens Square, London. This fellowship training was for the treatment of Pituitary Brain Tumors.

On returning to Singapore, Dr Raj practiced as a Specialist Neurosurgeon at Singapore General Hospital, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and also Tan Tock Seng Hospital. He performed surgery such as Excision of Brain tumors and Sweaty Palms Thoracoscopic surgery. Dr Raj also treats many patients with back and neck pain. Newer non-surgical treatment methods are available. He also manages patients with complex spine problems, and pioneered the use of intra-operative spine neuronavigation(iCT) in Singapore General Hospital. Then, using this improved technique, he successfully performed the largest number of Thoracic Spine Pedicle Screw Instrumentation in the region, with results published in the British Journal of Neurosurgery 2012.

Dr Raj has also managed a large number of patients with cranio-cervical junction disorders. He has performed many such operations using the iCT navigation facility, and has published the largest of such a series in Singapore in the Surgical Neurology International Journal 2013. Asides from performing complex spine surgery, he is active in teaching the next generation of spine surgeons, and has conducted numerous spine workshops and lectures in the UK, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. He was also invited to perform a live spine surgery demonstration in Hanoi, Vietnam(Hospital 108). Dr Raj has performed the most number of Cervical Disc Replacements in Singapore using the Activ-C implant(as of 2014), and also uses newer cervical treatment methods.

He was promoted to Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon in 2013, and also made the Director of Spine Surgery of the National Neuroscience Institute(NNI). During his tenureship, Dr Raj conducted numerous spine teaching courses with international attendees. He also was responsible for auditing and improving the standards of spine neurosurgery in NNI. Dr Raj is active in the AO Spine organisation. He is an East Asia Delegate and Faculty Lecturer.

The other subspecialty of Dr Raj is pediatric neurosurgery. As a senior consultant pediatric neurosurgeon in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, he treated patients with head injury, hydrocephalus, brain tumors and spinal problems. His experience in minimally invasive neuro-endoscopic surgery has also been published in peer reviewed and online journals.

Besides clinical practice, Dr Rajendra also teaches medical students, and is an Assistant Professor at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.

Speaks English, Mandarin and Bahasa Melayu

2007 – Appointed Adjunct Instructor-Duke NUS Graduate Medical School

2008 – Appointed Consultant Neurosurgeon(NNI), KKWCH

2011 – Appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor- Duke NUS Medical School

2012 – Appointed Visiting Consultant, National Cancer Centre

2013 – Appointed Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon and Director of Spine Surgery NNI

2008 – SGH Service Quality award winner

2011 – Duke-NUS Outstanding Educator award

2013 – Gold Award-Neurosurgery Project(NNI Research Day)

1. Surgical Treatment for Brain Metastasis. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 2003;10(2):190-194.(Paper) Rajendra T, Lee KA, J Thomas, A Hong, C Chan

2. Previously treated nasopharyngeal cancer with cystic lesions in the temporal lobe. Singapore Medical Journal Dec 2004;45(11):520-3.(Paper) Rajendra T, Lee KS, Leo KW, K Kumar, C Chan

3. Porous Coated Motion(PCM) Artificial Cervical Disc Replacement. British Cervical Spine Meeting Nov 2005.(presentation) Rajendra T, Richard Gullan.

4. Intradural Spinal tumors-Surgical Results. Rajendra T, J Thomas, K Kumar. Singapore General Hospital Proceedings 2007 Vol 16(1)Suppl p144(Abstract)

5. The clinical outcome of patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy with/without fusion. N Saravanan, Rajendra T. SGH Proceedings 2007 Vol16(1)Supl p143(Abstract)

6. Single stage posterior midline approach for Dumbbell Tumors of the thoracic spine with intra-operative CT guidance. Jayant T,Rajendra T, Agasthian T,I Ng.Surgical Neurology International Journal Feb 2011(Paper).

7. Surgery for Atlanto-Axial involvement(C1-2) in NPC patients. Rajendra T, Lee K A, Ivan Ng. Singapore Medical Journal 2012;53(6) :p416-421

8. A prospective study on the use of intraoperative Computed Tomography (iCT) for
image-guided placement of thoracic pedicle screws.
 S K Dinesh, Rajendra T, I Ng. British Journal of Neurosurgery June 2012

9. Surgical treatment of adult and pediatric C1/C2 subluxation with intra-operative CT guidance. Ling JM, Rajendra T, Seow WT, Ng Ivan. Surgical Neurology International 2013

10. A Review of Endoscopic Treatment of Hydrocephalus in Pediatric and Adult Patients. Ling Ji Min, Rajendra T. Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare. Vol 22(3) 2013.

11. Outcomes following Aggressive Surgical Resection of Intra-medullary Spinal Cord Tumors with intra-operative Neuro-monitoring. Rajendra T, Tang Man Hon, S Perera, Lo Yew Long. Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare. Vol 22(3) 2013.

12. Palliative Surgery for Cervical Metastasis. Jai Rao, Rajendra T. Singapore Medical Journal 2014.

13. Pediatric Spine Myelomeningoceles and Lipomas-Advances in Treatment. Singhealth-Duke-NUS Scientific Congress 2014(poster).

14. Pediatric Brain Tumor Surgery-advances in Surgical Treatment. Singhealth-Duke-NUS Scientific Congress 2014(poster).

15. Early clinical and radiographical results of keel-less and shallow keel cervical disc replacement. Ling J M, Rajendra T. Asian Journal of Neurosurgery 2015.