surgeon

Oz, 64, trained as a cardiothoracic surgeon – specialising in operations on the heart and lungs – and worked at New York City’s Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University.

The brilliant brain surgeon Paul Brennan saved my life by chopping out most of my tumour and, with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, it seems to be keeping my cancer in check for now.

Not every back pain sufferer needs to see a spine surgeon, or even a physician, right away.

McCall explained a surgeon would perform a procedure called a craniotomy, where part of the skull is removed to take out the tumour.

“It’s not like finding another primary care provider or orthopedic surgeon, and this is an exceedingly difficult task for someone who is mentally ill to accomplish,” Mark said.