Areas of Expertise

Spinal Surgery Procedures

Cervical Spine Surgery

Treatment of conditions affecting the neck vertebrae, including disc herniation, stenosis, and instability. Dr. Duff specialises in both anterior and posterior approaches, with particular expertise in complex multi-level reconstruction.

Disc Herniation Stenosis Fusion

Lumbar Spine Surgery

Surgical treatment of lower back conditions including degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis. Minimally invasive approaches are preferred to reduce recovery time and surgical morbidity.

Decompression Discectomy Fusion

Thoracic Spine Surgery

Management of mid-back conditions including thoracic disc herniations, spinal cord compression, and tumours. Dr. Duff pioneered the image-guided transtubular extracavitary approach for giant thoracic disc herniations.

Disc Herniation Tumour Resection Decompression

Spinal Deformity & Reconstruction

Correction of complex spinal deformities including scoliosis, kyphosis, and fixed cervical deformity. These procedures involve osteotomies and multi-level instrumentation to restore spinal alignment and relieve neural compression.

Scoliosis Kyphosis Osteotomy

Revision Spine Surgery

Complex re-operative surgery for patients with persistent or recurrent symptoms following previous spinal procedures. Dr. Duff has extensive experience managing failed back surgery syndrome and adjacent segment disease.

Failed Back Syndrome Adjacent Segment Re-operation

Craniovertebral Junction Surgery

Highly specialised surgery at the junction between the skull and upper cervical spine, treating instability, malformations, and tumours. One of Dr. Duff's primary areas of research and clinical focus.

CVJ Instability Odontoid Occipitocervical Fusion
Dr. John M. Duff — Spinal Surgery

Patient Education

Difficulty Walking: When Should You See a Neurosurgeon?

Difficulty walking can have many causes, including problems affecting the spine and nervous system. In this short video, Dr. Duff explains when changes in walking may warrant specialist assessment and when it may be appropriate to seek a neurosurgical opinion.

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Patient Education

When Should You See a Neurosurgeon for Back Pain?

Back pain is common and often improves with conservative treatment. However, persistent pain or symptoms affecting the nerves may require specialist assessment. In this short video, Dr. Duff explains when it may be appropriate to seek a neurosurgical opinion.

Watch the video →