The Spinal Team
The spinal team offers a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach to emergency and elective spinal care.

This team consists of two innovative Consultant Orthopaedic
Spinal Surgeons, Specialist Spinal Physiotherapists, Consultant
Radiologists, Rheumatology Consultants, Pain Management
consultants, Specialist Nurse Practitioners and a Consultant
Neurosurgeon. In addition to our robust core multidisciplinary team
we work closely with many other Professionals and have strong links
with neighbouring specialist hospitals such as Queens and Royal
National Orthopaedic Hospital. This joint working allows us to draw
on the unique expertise and skills of each profession to ensure
that we provide a holistic approach to patient care which has been
proven to result in more effective treatment and management of
spinal conditions.
This specialist service can help with the management of a range
of different conditions from 'slipped discs', spinal stenosis,
spinal deformities to infections or tumours.
Surgical procedures
- Caudal Epidural injection
- Facet Joint Injection
- Cervical Decompressions
- Cervical Discectomies
- Cervical Decompression and Fusion
- Thoracic and Lumbar spine Decompression
- Thoracic and Lumbar spine discectomy
- Thoracic and Lumbar spine fusion
- Vertebral body Augmentation
(vertebralplasty/kyphoplasty/stenoplasty)
(see 'useful documents' for further information on these
procedures)
Meet the team
Mr Zaher Dannawi FRCS (Tr &Orth)
Consultant Spinal & Orthopaedic Surgeon
Clinical
Interests:
Trauma & Orthopaedics with a special interest in Spinal
Surgery.
Mr Dannawi has specialist interest in adult and paediatric
spinal conditions including degenerative conditions of the spine,
spinal deformity, trauma, infection and tumours of the spine.
As a spinal surgeon, Mr Dannawi performs the following
procedures regularly: microdiscectomy for disc prolapse, spinal
decompression for spinal stenosis, cervical discectomy with
fusion/disc replacement, lumbar fusion (anterior, posterior and
intervertebral), cement augmentation (kyphoplasty or
vertebroplasty) for osteoporotic fractures or spinal tumours and
stabilisation for trauma or tumours.
Academic Background:
Mr Dannawi joined Barts & The London to complete his medical
qualification in 1999. Following basic surgical training in London,
he carried out his specialist registrar training in Trauma &
Orthopaedics on the North East Thames (Royal London Rotation).
Following his FRCS (Tr & Orth) exam, he undertook his spinal
fellowship at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore
where he gained an excellent surgical experience across the full
range of spinal procedures.
From here Mr Dannawi took up the position of Orthopaedic and
Spinal consultant at Southend University Hospital, where he is
actively involved in the development and expansion of the spinal
unit to provide a high quality spinal care. He has an academic
interest having published in peer review journals and presented at
national and international meetings. He is actively involved in
teaching medical students and junior doctors and is an author of a
spinal chapter in an orthopaedic textbook.
Mr Abuamar Zaiden
Consultant Spinal & Orthopaedic Surgeon
Clinical Interests:
Mr Zaidan has specialist interest in adult spinal
conditions including degenerative conditions of the spine, spinal
deformity, trauma, infection and tumours of the spine.
Mr Zaidan performs the following procedures regularly:
microdiscectomy for disc prolapse, spinal decompression for spinal
stenosis, cervical discectomy with fusion/disc replacement, lumbar
instrumented fusion , cement augmentation (kyphoplasty or
vertebroplasty) for osteoporotic fractures or spinal tumours and
stabilisation for trauma or tumours.
Academic Background:
Mr Zaidan graduated from AL-Mustansiriya Medical school in
Baghdad/Iraq in 1994. He had joined Southend University Hospital in
2003. Following basic surgical training ,he gained his MRCS Ed in
2007, he carried out his registrar training in Trauma &
Orthopaedics . subspecialised in Spine for for 3 years and
gained Eurospine Diploma in 2011 before he undertook his spinal
fellowship at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore
where he gained an excellent surgical experience across the full
range of spinal procedures.
From here Mr Zaidan took up the position of Orthopaedic
and Spinal consultant at Southend University Hospital, where he is
actively involved in the development and expansion of the spinal
unit to provide a high quality spinal care. He has an academic
interest having published in peer review journals .
Paul Manjaly (BSc Hons MHCPC MCSP)
Specialist Spinal Chartered Physiotherapist
Clinical Interests:
Paul Manjaly is a Chartered Physiotherapist with a specialist
interest in spinal conditions
Academic Background:
Paul Manjaly trained in India worked in the states for 4 years
before moving to the UK and joining Southend University Hospital
where he enhanced his skills to be able to deal with complex spinal
conditions.
Additional Skills Extended Skills straining
- Acupuncture
- Independent Prescriber
- Injection Therapist

Stephanie Carey (BSc Hons MHCPC MCSP)
Clinical Lead in Hydrotherapy / IT MSK Project Lead /
Chartered Physiotherapist
Clinical Interest
Stephanie Carey is a Clinical Lead physiotherapist with 14
years' experience in the rehabilitation of post-operative spinal
patients. She is also the clinical lead in Hydrotherapy which is
part of Lumbar spine surgery rehabilitation.
Academic Background:
Stephanie Carey trained to be a physiotherapist at Brunel
University and started working at Southend Hospital in 2004.
Specialising in Musculoskeletal physiotherapy in
Addition Skills / Extended Skills
- Acupuncture
- Injection therapist
- Hydrotherapy (Aquatic therapy)
- Maitland Trained
- Full Mckenzie training
- Mulligans
Useful documents