Dr Natasha Van Zyl

Dr Natasha Van Zyl is a highly experienced Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon who completed her medical degree at University of Cape Town in 1993 and went on to undertake advanced surgical training in Melbourne. She was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2005 and is fully trained across all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery. She holds memberships with leading professional bodies including the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons, the Australian Hand Surgery Society, and the International Spinal Cord Society. Dr Van Zyl has particular expertise in complex reconstructive procedures, especially upper limb re-animation surgery to restore hand and arm function following spinal cord or nerve injury. She also specialises in the surgical management of spasticity resulting from conditions such as stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury, using tendon and nerve transfer techniques to improve function, reduce pain, and enhance quality of life. Additional specialist interests include foot drop correction, reconstructive breast surgery following cancer, and breast reduction procedures. Her broader experience includes abdominoplasty, skin cancer and melanoma surgery, general hand surgery (such as carpal tunnel syndrome, Dupuytren’s disease, and trigger finger), and emergency plastic surgery. She holds a public appointment at Austin Health and works with the Victorian Spinal Cord Service, where she performs advanced nerve and tendon transfer procedures. She also operates privately at Epworth Hospital and St Vincent’s Private Hospital. In addition to her clinical work, Dr Van Zyl is actively involved in teaching and research. She supervises surgical trainees and medical students and has a strong academic interest in nerve transfer surgery. Her research on the effectiveness of nerve transfers in tetraplegia has been published in The Lancet, contributing to her international reputation in this field. She is frequently invited to present her work at national and international conferences.

"Evidence-based care tailored to each patient — taking the time to explain options and shared decisions."

1. 2001–2007
   MD · Medicine and Surgery

   Universitat de Barcelona

2. 2007–2011
   Residency · Plastic Surgery

   Universitat de València

1. 2011-09–2012-08
   Junior consultant

   Universitat de Barcelona Teaching Hospital — Plastic Surgery

1. 1 Choose a slot
2. 2 Brief pre-consult form
3. 3 Consultation
4. 4 Follow-up note & plan

Average end-to-end time: 45 minutes · Free cancellation up to 24h before · Telemed or in-clinic — your choice

h-index: 17 · i10: 9

Selected publications

1. Long-term follow-up of Plastic Surgery across

   Dr Natasha Van Zyl, et al. · European Journal of Medicine, 2026

   DOI: 10.1801/euroclin.2026.0 · cited by 73

2. Validation of clinical scoring in Plastic Surgery

   Dr Natasha Van Zyl, et al. · European Journal of Medicine, 2025

   DOI: 10.2442/euroclin.2025.1 · cited by 51

3. Long-term follow-up of Plastic Surgery across

   Dr Natasha Van Zyl, et al. · European Journal of Medicine, 2024

   DOI: 10.5762/euroclin.2024.2 · cited by 61

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