We have an official donation page through the Saint John Hospital Foundation! Please visit https://thegive.ca/cesc/ to donate to our spine research!
09/12/2025
Have you heard? Our JavaMoose Coffee Roaster coffee is now in stock at the Saint John Regional Hospital!
Find it in the Brighten Group's Gift Shop on the main level. Thank you to one incredible charity for helping another. Together we'll deliver more . ☕🏥
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Vous avez entendu la nouvelle? Notre café JavaMoose Coffee Roaster est maintenant offert à l’Hôpital régional de Saint John!
Procurez-vous-en à la boutique-cadeau du Brighten Group, située au rez-de-chaussée. Merci à un organisme exceptionnel d’appuyer un autre. Ensemble, nous offrirons davantage de . ☕🏥
09/12/2025
We are happy to share that the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation has launched the $10.5 million Let’s Work Wonders Campaign to establish Atlantic Canada’s first cardiac-enabled Hybrid Operating Room and one of Canada’s first Spinal Robotics Programs. These innovations mean safer surgeries, shorter recoveries, and better outcomes for patients across our province! Our very own Dr. Chris Small attended last night's public campaign launch alongside Dr. Jean-Francois Legare and SJRH Foundations Shannon Hunter! If you would like to donate visit: https://sjrhfoundation.ca/surgical-excellence/donate/
🎉 Congratulations to Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick (DMNB) Med 2 student Hirbod Abootalebi on publishing his Research in Medicine project!
His study explored a minimally invasive technique for ankle fracture surgery, investigating the impact of the surgery on sourrounding structures showing it to be a safe approach overall — while also identifying specific tissues surgeons need to be cautious of during the procedure.
📈 Thanks in part to this research, this minimally invasive procedure is now conducted here, it was not previously performed by our surgeons due to a lack of research specifically regarding potential damage to surrounding structures. Hirbod’s findings (in addition to previous research regarding the benefits of the surgery) gave our team the evidence to move forward — a great example of research directly improving patient care.
🦶 This work was part of our new collaborative Cadaveric Orthopaedic Research Program (CORP) — an exciting hands-on initiative for students.
🙏 Special thanks to the generous donors of the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation for supporting this work.
⚠️ Note: The linked article includes images of cadaveric surgical specimens.
Background: Traditional surgical fixation of ankle fractures with plates and screws carries risks such as wound complications, hardware prominence, and soft tis...
09/08/2025
💺 Chairs for Charity starts TODAY!
From September 8–14, local participating restaurants are dedicating a special table to support surgical excellence at the Saint John Regional Hospital. 💛
Dine at one of these tables and you’re not just enjoying a great meal — you’re helping fund the tools, technology, and care that make a real difference for patients and families, right here at home.
PLUS! While you're dining, don’t forget to scan the QR code at the table to enter for a chance to win round-trip flights for two to Halifax, Montreal, or Quebec City — made possible by Pascan Aviation and the Saint John Airport/aéroport de saint john
Huge thanks to our participating restaurants for making today possible:
Drifter Brew Co.
Gahan House Port City
Splash Thai Cuisine
Thandi Restaurant
The Med Restaurant
The Rouxbarb
Vito's Restaurant Uptown
Vito's Restaurant KV
09/05/2025
📅 September 5 is World Spinal Cord Injury Day!
This year’s theme from the The International Spinal Cord Society - ISCOS is “Fall Prevention, Spinal Cord Protection.” Falls continue to be one of the leading causes of spinal cord injury. In fact, the latest RHSCIR report shows that falls are the most common type of traumatic injury.
Preventing falls requires action on many fronts:
✔️Education and awareness – Spreading knowledge about fall risks and prevention through public campaigns, community programs, and educational resources.
✔️Safe environments – Advocating for safer design of homes, workplaces, and public spaces.
✔️Empowerment – Equipping people with SCI and their carers with tools and training to reduce risks.
✔️Research and innovation – Supporting advances in technology, rehabilitation, and prevention to protect spinal cord health.
Today is a reminder for awareness and prevention to reduce the impact of fall-related spinal cord injuries.
08/27/2025
Canada East Spine Centre is proud to announce a new partnership with the Thoracic Surgery Division at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Thoracic surgeons Dr. Brian Johnston, Dr. Marco Sirois, and Clinical Assistant Dr. Farhad Kheiritootkaleh will collaborate with our team to continue contributing to the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons (CATS) TSQIC database and related research initiatives.
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to AstraZeneca and the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation and the generosity of its' donors, which made this collaboration possible.
08/26/2025
A warm welcome to the Dal Med Class of 2029!
Yesterday's welcome ceremony marked the beginning of your journey into the study of medicine, and we couldn’t be more excited to have you join the Faculty of Medicine.
Here’s to the years ahead—filled with learning, growth, and the incredible impact you’ll make.
08/23/2025
08/23/2025
Rise and shine! It’s Patio Day! 🌞
Time to grab your shades, rally your friends, and head to one of the amazing patios giving back today.
Patios across the region are stepping up and donating a portion of their sales to support surgical excellence at the Saint John Regional Hospital.
Whether it’s your first coffee of the day or your after-work cheers, every order helps make a difference for patients and families right here at home.
📸 Don’t forget to tag us in your patio pics and stories—we can’t wait to see where you land today!
✨ Huge thanks to our participating patios for making today possible:
Amici Pub & Eatery
AREA 506
Britt's pub + eatery (Uptown and Rockwood locations)
Cask & Kettle Irish Gastropub (Grand Bay - Westfield, Uptown, KV)
Garden Grove Café
Hilton Saint John's York Bistro
Hopscotch Whisky Bar
Lemongrass Thai Fare
Long Bay Brewery
Marci's
Picaroons General Store
Port City Royal
Sussex Ale Works
Vito's KV
wasteddaybrew
Yip Cider
See you on the patio!
08/01/2025
Canada East Spine Centre has officially enrolled our first patient in the REinForce study - an exciting new international, multi-site clinical trial in collaboration with CONMED Corporation!
This study is evaluating the safety & effectiveness of the BioBrace Implant for patients undergoing surgical repair of full-thickness rotator cuff tears (RCT). The BioBrace Implant is the first FDA cleared (K203267) & Health Canada approved device designed to provide biological healing & mechanical strength for the reinforcement of soft tissue where weakness exists. BioBrace is a highly porous collagen sponge reinforced with PLLA microfilaments that is fully resorbable & provides reinforcement of soft tissue through supplemental strength & load sharing.
Over the next few years, multiple sites across North America will be working together to collect data from patients with rotator cuff injuries. CESC is thrilled to be working alongside Dr. Sheehan & Dr. Gusnowski on this important research focused on advancing care for rotator cuff injuries!
07/26/2025
On Wednesday we had the privilege of welcoming Bill Barrable, CEO of the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, to the Saint John Regional Hospital. He presented the team with the Accreditation Canada certificate for our commitment to high-quality, patient-centered care in alignment with the Spinal Cord Injury Standards of Excellence, accredited by the Health Standards Organization (HSO). Our staff members Eden Richardson- Database Manager and Dresden Forshner- Clinical Trials Associate attended along with the neurosurgeons of SJRH and their amazing team of nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other health care leaders. Without their hard work none on this would be possible. Congratulations!
07/24/2025
It is our privilege to contribute to the the work of Praxis Spinal Cord Institute.
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Welcome to Canada East Spine Centre!
Headquartered in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada East Spine Centre, the highest-volume spine surgery centre in Atlantic Canada is dedicated to driving the development of spinal health care. Our mission is to better understand the factors that lead to spinal conditions and continue to develop ways to most effectively treat complex problems through clinical research.
At its core, CESC aims to conduct research that translates into improved care and outcomes for those suffering from varied spinal conditions. We are also interested in research that investigates how psychological and social factors influence outcomes, narcotic use for pain management, and how to optimize treatment in the peri-operative period.
At CESC, a community of experts from multiple disciplines including orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, nursing, physiotherapy and research come together to grow current knowledge and spread new findings.
To learn more about the CESC, visit our website or follow us on Twitter. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to send us a message and we will be happy to assist!
Please visit our official donation page through the Saint John Hospital Foundation. Please visit https://thegive.ca/cesc/ to donate to our spine research!
