Neil Berrington, MBBCh, MMed, FRCS (Glasgow), FCS(SA)

Dr Berrington completed his undergraduate training at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1985, and went on to complete a residency and MMed in Neurosurgery at the the University of Pretoria. Hes spent 6 years in private practice in Johannesburg, before accepting a position here in Manitoba in the Section of Neurosurgery. He subsequently went on to complete a fellowship in complex spine surgery at U of M.

He has a strong interest in medical education, previously assuming roles as the undergraduate director for Neurosurgery, as as the first Medical Director of the Physician Assistant Education Program. He publishes regular anatomy features for the Canadian Spine Society.

In 2011 he assumed the roles of Section Head and Regional Lead for Neurosurgery. During his tenure, the program has grown substantially and boasts a sizable faculty of sub specialist surgeons and has thriving residency and research programs.

His clinical focus is spinal surgery, and he one of the early adopters of minimally invasive spine surgery and enhanced recovery protocols.

His other interests include professionalism and civility in medicine.

Research Focus
Clinical outcomes in spinal surgery

University of Manitoba positions
Associate Professor, University of Manitoba
Head, Section of Neurosurgery

Clinical positions
Regional Lead, Neurosurgery
Medical Director, Winnipeg Spine Program

Publications

Editorial. The opiate crisis: An opportunity to alter morbidity through the implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery protocols during spinal surgery. Berrington NR. Neurosurgery Focus 44 (4):E13 April 2019

Extensive Mirror-Image Neurofibromas of Entire Spine Resulting in Spastic Tetraplegia.
Bigder M, Szelemej P, Berrington N. World Neurosurg. 2017 Sep 1. Epub ahead of print

The Impact of Mean Arterial Pressure on Functional Outcome Post-Acute Spinal Cord Injury:  A Scoping Systematic Review of Animal Models. Sabit B, Zeiler FA, Berrington N. 
Journal of Neurotrauma  Sep 15;34(18):2583-2594

The Impact of Mean Arterial Pressure on Functional Outcome Post-Acute Spinal Cord Injury:  A Scoping Systematic Review of the Human Literature. Sabit B, Zeiler FA, Berrington N. 
J Intensive Care Med. Oct 2016,  Epub ahead of print

Nail-gun Injury through the Spinal Canal. Bigder M, Zeiler F, Berrington N. 2015.Can J Neurol Sci. 2015 May;42(3):203-4.

Default Mode Network Functional Connectivity Altered in Failed Back Surgery Syndrome.
Kornelsen J, Sboto-Frankenstein U, McIver T, Gervai P, Wacnik P, Berrington N, Tomanek B.
J Pain. 2013 Mar 13.

Overuse of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
Emery DJ, Shojania KG, Forster A, Mojaverian N, Feasby T.
(Additional Contributions:  Robert S. Burnham, MD, Werner J. Becker, MD, Michael Rasminsky MD, Chaim Bell, MD, John You, MD, Maziar Badii, MD, Ernest Schuster, MD, Donald Lee, MD, Neil Berrington, MD, William Maloney, MD, Raja Rampersaud, MD, and Teresa Cavett, MD.)
JAMA Intern Med. 2013 March 23.

Relationship between ambulatory performance and self-rated disability in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.
Pryce R, Johnson M, Goytan M, Passmore S, Berrington N, Kriellaars D.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012 Jul 1;37(15):1316-23.

Locked facets and disc herniation.
Berrington N.
J Neurosurg. 1994 May;80(5):951-2.

Cervical intervertebral disc prolapse associated with traumatic facet dislocations.
Berrington NR, van Staden JF, Willers JG, van der Westhuizen J.
Surg Neurol. 1993 Nov;40(5):395-9.

Posttraumatic spinal cord tethering. Case report.
Berrington NR.
J Neurosurg. 1993 Jan;78(1):120-1.

Acute extradural hematoma associated with silastic dural substitute: case report.
Berrington NR.
Surg Neurol. 1992 Dec;38(6):469-70.

Child abuse and deprivation. A review of the records at Coronation Hospital, Johannesburg.
Berrington NR, Green RJ, Branfield AS, Gear JS.
S Afr Med J. 1986 Jun 7;69(12):759-60.

Book Chapters.

Surgical Treatment of Back Pain. Handbook of Spine Technology – Springer – 2019 – In Press.

Other Publications

Ramblings of a Dinosaur – Where did we go wrong (Wait Times). Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 18:4 5-6

Ramblings of a Dinosaur – Are We Just Rude? Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 18:3 4-8

Ramblings of a Dinosaur – Spine Education. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 17:4 2017.

Ramblings of a Dinosaur – Brand New Shiny Shotgun. Berrington, NR. Spinal Columns 17:3 21-23, 2017

Basic Science Pearls – Ligamenta Flava. Berrington, NR. Spinal Columns 17:3 34-35, 2017

Ramblings of a Dinosaur – I Pity the Poor Immigrant. Berrington, NR. Spinal Columns 17:2 24-25, 2017.

Basic Science Pearls – Batson’s Plexus Part II. Berrington, NR. Spinal Columns 17:2 46-47 , 2017.

Ramblings of a Dinosaur – No prophet is accepted in his hometown.  Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 16:4 19-20, 2016

Basic Science Pearls- Batson’s Plexus. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 16:4 51-52, 2016

Ramblings of a Dinosaur – Anatomy. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 16:3 4-5, 2016.

Basic Science Pearls – Omohyoid Muscle. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 16:3 21, 2016.

Arthroplasty, Cognitive Dissonance and Decision Making.. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 16:3 33-36, 2016.

Life is too short to drink bad wine. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 13:3 10-11, 2013

The Other France. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 11:1 5, 2011.

Wine and Turkey Dinner. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 10:4 4. 2010

Wine and Memory. Berrington NR. Spinal Columns 10:3 4-5, 2010

Food and Wine Pairing. Berrington NR Spinal Columns 10:01 4, 2010

Curriculum Vitae