Neurosurgeon and Spinal Surgeon

MBBS (Hons) DipYW FRACS

Dr Matthew Gutman is a Neurosurgeon and Spinal Surgeon with a specific interest in brain mapping for brain tumours and epilepsy, spinal disorders and spinal tumours, as well as neurovascular surgery and trigeminal neuralgia.

Dr Gutman is the head of epilepsy surgery at The Alfred Hospital and conducts Neuro-oncology, epilepsy and hydrocephalus research through Monash University. After completing his FRACS in Australia, he has undertaken further international sub-specialized training in flexible endoscopy, functional neurosurgery, neurovascular surgery and minimally invasive spine surgery through fellowships at Cambridge University Hospital (Addenbrooke’s), The National Hospital for neurology and neurosurgery (Queens’ Square), and Mbale, Uganda.

In 2023 Dr Gutman was awarded The Dr Lena McEwan and Dame Joyce Daws Churchill fellowship to develop advanced neuro-modulation and lesioning techniques for epilepsy and brain tumour surgery. This led to further fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, USA) and Columbia University Hospital (New York, USA) and ultimately the development of the first Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy Unit in Victoria at the Alfred and Cabrini Hospitals.

Dr. Gutman has duel trained as a physician prior to undertaking neurosurgery training, and his philosophy is to try to make sure the patient has been carefully evaluated and examined to arrive at the correct diagnosis. And that conservative management has been trialled appropriately before rushing into surgery. This underpins the philosophy of working at VBASS alongside neurologists, sports and pain physicians to ensure a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach can be provided (where necessary) before surgery.