Overview
Background
Associate Professor Christopher Maher is a tertiary-referral Urogynaecologist at the Wesley & Mater Private Hospitals and Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital and active researcher and teacher at the University of Queensland. His long-term commitment to research and evidence based medicine has been rewarded with over 100 peer-review publications and many presentations at National and International conferences. He is the past president of the Queensland CFA (Continence Foundation of Australia), former Secretary of AGES, Chairman of IUGA Scientific Committee, Chair of Urogynaecology committee RANZCOG and is currently lead author of the Cochrane Review and International Collaboration on Incontinence on the surgical management of prolapse. Associate Professor Christopher Maher is the current Chairman of the Urogynaecological Society of Australia.
Availability
- Professor Christopher Maher is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and Medical Science, The University of Queensland
- Postgraduate Diploma, Institution to be confirmed
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
- Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Research interests
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Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse
lead Cochrane review on the surgical management of prolapse Lead International Collaboration Incontinence (ICI) on Surgical management of prolapse
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Surgeon Volume and outcomes
Meta-analysis of gynaecology and urogynaecology outcomes based on surgeon volumes
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Learning curve of Laparoscopic sacral colpopexy
Structured education and skills program to reduce learning curve for laparoscopic sacral colpopexy
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Tissue engineering for pelvic organ prolapse
Animal studies to evaluate 3-D printed material as a matrix in pelvic organ prolapse and abdominal hernia in the sheep model
Research impacts
My research has largely docused on female pelvic floor dysfunction and intially revolved aroud the assessemnt and safety of surgical interventions for the management of pelvic floor dysfunction including
- Sacral nerve stimulator for female bladder overactivty
- laparoscopic and vaginal surgery for primary and recurrent urinary stress incontinence including prospective reviews and randomised controlled trials
- Laparoscopic, abdominal and vaginal surgery for uterine prolapse, rectocele and post-hysterectomy vault prolapse including retrospective audits, prospective evaluations and randomised controlled trials
- Reporting of and management of complications assocaited with mesh interventions for urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse
More recently I have focused on completeing structured systematic reviews on the surgical management of prolapse including:
- Leading Cochrane reviews on the surgical management of prolapse in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016
- Leading committee International Collaboration on Incontinence on the surgical management of prolapse 2013, 2017 after being member since 2008
- Review articles on the pathway forward regarding the evaluation of new medical interventions
This body of research has been important in evlauting the efficacy of new interventions for female pelvic organ prolapse and identifying complications associated with these intervention. The reseach has been important and contributed to public debate surrounding the suitability of transvaginal mesh for pelvic organ prolapse that is currently teh suject of Class actions worldwide and Govermant evaluations in New Zealand, Scotland and Australia.
Works
Search Professor Christopher Maher’s works on UQ eSpace
2013
Journal Article
Genital prolapse and stress incontinence: Conservative and operative approaches
Baessler, K. and Maher, C. (2013). Genital prolapse and stress incontinence: Conservative and operative approaches. Gynakologe, 46 (7), 453-457. doi: 10.1007/s00129-012-3122-6
2013
Book
Surgical Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Karram, Mickey and Maher, Christopher F. eds. (2013). Surgical Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse. 1st ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders.
2013
Book Chapter
Pelvic organ prolapse surgery
Maher, Christopher, Baessler, Kaven, Barber, Matthew, Cheon, Cecilia, Deitz, Vivianne, DeTayrac, Renaud, Gutman, Robert, Sentilhes, Loic and Karram, Mickey (2013). Pelvic organ prolapse surgery. Incontinence : 5th edition 2013 . (pp. 1379-1442) edited by Paul Abrams, Linda Cardozo, Saad Khoury and Alan Wein. Bristol, United Kingdom: International Consultation on Urological Diseases.
2013
Journal Article
The transvaginal mesh decade
Maher, Christopher F. and Haya, Nir (2013). The transvaginal mesh decade. Expert Review of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 8 (5), 485-492. doi: 10.1586/17474108.2013.825476
2013
Journal Article
Surgery for posterior vaginal wall prolapse
Karram, M. and Maher, C. (2013). Surgery for posterior vaginal wall prolapse. International Urogynecology Journal and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, 24 (11), 1835-1841. doi: 10.1007/s00192-013-2174-z
2013
Book Chapter
Surgery for Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Avoiding and managing complications
Karram, Mickey and Maher, Christopher F. (2013). Surgery for Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Avoiding and managing complications. Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse. (pp. 179-186) edited by Karram, Mickey and Maher, Christopher F.. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders.
2013
Other Outputs
Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse focusing on role of transvaginal mesh
Maher, Christopher (2013). Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse focusing on role of transvaginal mesh. PhD Thesis, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland.
2013
Book Chapter
Surgical procedures to suspend a prolapsed Uterus
Maher, Christopher F. and Karram, Mickey (2013). Surgical procedures to suspend a prolapsed Uterus. Surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse. (pp. 59-79) edited by Karram, Mickey and Maher, Christopher F.. Phildelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders.
2013
Journal Article
Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for recurrent pelvic organ prolapse after failed transvaginal polypropylene mesh surgery
Schmid, C., O'Rourke, P. and Maher, C. (2013). Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for recurrent pelvic organ prolapse after failed transvaginal polypropylene mesh surgery. International Urogynecology Journal and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, 24 (5), 763-767. doi: 10.1007/s00192-012-1926-5
2012
Conference Publication
2012 Cochrane Review: Surgical Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Schmid, C., Maher, C., Feiner, B., Baessler, K. and Glazener, C. (2012). 2012 Cochrane Review: Surgical Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse. LONDON: SPRINGER LONDON LTD.
2012
Journal Article
Cost minimization minilaparotomy vs laparoscopic sacral colpopexy: reply
Maher, Christopher F. and Connelly, Luke B. (2012). Cost minimization minilaparotomy vs laparoscopic sacral colpopexy: reply. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 207 (2), e11-e12. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.04.004
2012
Journal Article
An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint terminology and classification of the complications related to native tissue female pelvic floor surgery
Haylen, Bernard T., Freeman, Robert M., Lee, Joseph, Swift, Steven E., Cosson, Michel, Deprest, Jan, Dwyer, Peter L., Fatton, Brigitte, Kocjancic, Ervin, Maher, Chris, Petri, Eckhard, Rizk, Diaa E., Schaer, Gabriel N. and Webb, Ralph (2012). An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint terminology and classification of the complications related to native tissue female pelvic floor surgery. International Urogynecology Journal, 23 (5), 515-526. doi: 10.1007/s00192-011-1659-x
2012
Journal Article
An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for reporting outcomes of surgical procedures for pelvic organ prolapse
Toozs-Hobson, Philip, Freeman, Robert, Barber, Matthew, Maher, Christopher, Haylen, Bernard, Athanasiou, Stavros, Swift, Steven, Whitmore, Kristene, Ghoniem, Gamal and de Ridder, Dirk (2012). An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for reporting outcomes of surgical procedures for pelvic organ prolapse. International Urogynecology Journal, 23 (5), 527-535. doi: 10.1007/s00192-012-1726-y
2012
Journal Article
Cost minimization analysis of laparoscopic sacral colpopexy and total vaginal mesh
Maher, Christopher F. and Connelly, Luke B. (2012). Cost minimization analysis of laparoscopic sacral colpopexy and total vaginal mesh. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 206 (5), 433.e1-433.e7. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2011.12.012
2012
Journal Article
An international urogynecological association (IUGA)/international continence society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for reporting outcomes of surgical procedures for pelvic organ prolapse
Toozs-Hobson, Philip, Freeman, Robert, Barber, Matthew, Maher, Christopher, Haylen, Bernard, Athanasiou, Stavros, Swift, Steven, Whitmore, Kristene, Ghoniem, Gamal and de Ridder, Dirk (2012). An international urogynecological association (IUGA)/international continence society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for reporting outcomes of surgical procedures for pelvic organ prolapse. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 31 (4), 415-421. doi: 10.1002/nau.22238
2012
Journal Article
International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint terminology and classification of the complications related to native tissue female pelvic floor surgery
Haylen, Bernard T., Freeman, Robert M., Lee, Joseph, Swift, Steven E., Cosson, Michel, Deprest, Jan, Dwyer, Peter L., Fatton, Brigitte, Kocjancic, Ervin, Maher, Chris, Petri, Eckhard, Rizk, Diaa E., Schaer, Gabriel N. and Webb, Ralph (2012). International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint terminology and classification of the complications related to native tissue female pelvic floor surgery. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 31 (4), 406-414. doi: 10.1002/nau.22199
2012
Journal Article
A prospective comparison of two commercial mesh kits in the management of anterior vaginal prolapse
Feiner, Benjamin, O'Rourke, Peter and Maher, Christopher (2012). A prospective comparison of two commercial mesh kits in the management of anterior vaginal prolapse. International Urogynecology Journal, 23 (3), 279-283. doi: 10.1007/s00192-011-1578-x
2012
Journal Article
IUGA/ICS terminology and classification of complications of prosthesis and graft insertion-rereading will revalidate
Haylen, Bernard T., Maher, Christopher and Deprest, Jan (2012). IUGA/ICS terminology and classification of complications of prosthesis and graft insertion-rereading will revalidate. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 208 (1), e15. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.08.004
2012
Journal Article
Transvaginal placement of surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse: More FDA concerns - Positive reactions are possible
Haylen, Bernard T., Sand, Peter K., Swift, Steven E., Maher, Christopher, Moran, Paul A. and Freeman, Robert M. (2012). Transvaginal placement of surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse: More FDA concerns - Positive reactions are possible. International Urogynecology Journal, 23 (1), 11-13. doi: 10.1007/s00192-011-1580-3
2011
Journal Article
Laparoscopic removal of intravesical mesh following pelvic organ prolapse mesh surgery
Maher, Christopher and Feiner, Benjamin (2011). Laparoscopic removal of intravesical mesh following pelvic organ prolapse mesh surgery. International Urogynecology Journal, 22 (12), 1593-1595. doi: 10.1007/s00192-011-1465-5
Supervision
Availability
- Professor Christopher Maher is:
- Available for supervision
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Media
Enquiries
Contact Professor Christopher Maher directly for media enquiries about:
- Female Pelvic floor dysfunction
- Pelvic organ Prolapse
- Sexual dysfunction
- Urinary incontinence
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