Leo Donnan

Leo Donnan

Degrees

MBBS FRACS FAOA

Offices

64 Chapman Street
North Melbourne VIC 3051

03 9322 3330 (Primary)

Royal Children’s Hospital
50 Flemington Road
Parkville VIC 3052

Cabrini Health
183 Wattletree Road
Malvern VIC 3144

Services

  • Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Orthopaedic Oncology
  • Arthroplasty
  • Foot and Ankle Surgery
  • Paediatric Fractures
  • Ponsetti Treatment
  • Child and adolescent sports injuries

Leo Donnan is an Orthopaedic Surgeon who specialises in Paediatric Orthopaedics, Limb Reconstruction and the management of Musculoskeletal Tumours.

He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1986 and trained in Orthopaedic Surgery obtaining the Fellowship from the College of Surgeons in 1994. During the following two years he undertook basic research into the regulation of bone formation at the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research before accepting a Senior Lecturer position at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital in the United Kingdom.

In Sheffield he led the Limb Reconstruction Service and developed an interest in medical education producing a complete syllabus of video-based teaching material for education of medical students and surgical trainees in paediatric orthopaedics.

He continued advanced training in limb reconstruction at the Russian Scientific Institute in Kurgan, Siberia and a various European Institutes. During this time he published on techniques in reconstructive surgery and in particular that related to fully implantable intramedullary lengthening devices and deformity correction.

On return to Melbourne he was appointed to a consultant position at the Royal Children’s, St Vincent’s and Royal Melbourne Hospitals and became Director of Orthopaedics at The Royal Children’s Hospital in 2004.

At the Royal Children’s Hospital, he established the Limb Reconstruction Service and currently hosts an International Fellowship in that field.

In 2006 he was appointed Chief of Surgery (Executive Director Surgical Services) at the Royal Children’s Hospital and was made Clinical Associate Professor University of Melbourne.

Research and Education has always been an important part of his surgical practice. Through the not for profit Enlighten Health group developed innovative animated teaching programs for the community and health practitioners. In 2017 he completed a Masters of Surgical Education which has been used in developing instructional and assessment programs for trainee physicians and surgeons.

Research interested have been varied and are now focused on the use of larger registry data to answer the big questions and health technology innovation to enhance patient care and facilitate clinician decision making.

Leo is a passionate clinician who undertakes some of the most challenging clinical cases whilst striving to make paediatric care for conditions, such as hip dysplasia, accessible and of the highest quality. His experience is broad meaning that the patient and family receives the best possible orthopaedic care with clear explanation and considered surgical care designed to ensure the best outcome for now and the future.