Prof Professor Richard Bittar

Dr Richard Bittar is a highly experienced Neurosurgeon and Spinal Surgeon at Precision Health renowned for his expertise in treating spinal conditions, movement disorders, and various intracranial conditions. As a pioneer in the field, he holds the distinction of being the first spinal surgeon in Victoria to perform robotic spinal surgery, deep brain stimulation for Tourette's, MR-guided focused ultrasound for tremor, and stereotactic radiosurgery for brain tumours. In fact, he is the sole neurosurgeon in Australia conducting MR-guided focused ultrasound for pain management.Dr Bittar completed his medical degree at the University of Sydney in 1994, followed by his PhD in Functional Brain Mapping at the same university. He later completed post-fellowship training in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at Oxford and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2004. His career spans several successful endeavours, including establishing and leading several deep brain stimulation and psychosurgery services in Australia. Dr Bittar's contributions to the field are widely recognised through published scientific articles and presentations at several national and international meetings.Dr Bittar employs a range of cutting-edge surgical techniques, including minimally invasive, robotic, and navigated approaches, to ensure the safety and success of spinal and brain surgeries. As a Clinical Professor at Deakin University, he plays a vital role in educating future medical professionals. Moreover, he is highly regarded as a medico-legal examiner, bringing his wealth of experience to assess workers compensation, transport accidents, public liability, and medical negligence claims.Dr Bittar's areas of expertise include:Robotic spinal surgeryDisc prolapse and spinal stenosisSpinal and peripheral nerve surgeryCervical and lumbar spine surgeryKeyhole and complex spinal surgerySpinal cord and occipital nerve stimulationCarpal tunnel and ulnar nerve surgeryDeep brain stimulation for conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Essential Tremor, and Tourette's syndromeTreatment of gliomas, metastases, and meningiomas

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

1. 2009–2015
   MD · Medicine and Surgery

   UAB Barcelona, Melbourne (AU)

2. 2015–2019
   Residency · Neurosurgery

   Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Melbourne (AU)

3. 2019–2020
   Fellowship · Subspecialty training

   Cleveland Clinic, US

1. 2019-09–2020-08
   Junior consultant

   UAB Barcelona Teaching Hospital — Neurosurgery

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

h-index: 13 · i10: 12

Selected publications

1. Outcomes of Neurosurgery in adults — a multi-centre cohort

   Prof Professor Richard Bittar, et al. · European Journal of Medicine, 2025

   DOI: 10.3456/euroclin.2025.0 · cited by 53

2. European registry analysis of Neurosurgery outcomes

   Prof Professor Richard Bittar, et al. · European Journal of Medicine, 2024

   DOI: 10.9786/euroclin.2024.1 · cited by 135

3. Outcomes of Neurosurgery in adults — a multi-centre cohort

   Prof Professor Richard Bittar, et al. · European Journal of Medicine, 2023

   DOI: 10.8905/euroclin.2023.2 · cited by 201

• Patient education Patient guide to Neurosurgery 2026-03-24 · 11 min read
• Awareness When should you see a neurosurgery? 2026-01-13 · 5 min read