Our Team

Dr Anita Jacombs is an Australian-trained female General Surgeon. Dr Jacombs completed her initial medical training at the University of Sydney, during which time she was the recipient of the Fagan Memorial Surgery Award for Excellence in Clinical Surgery, Royal North Shore Hospital. After graduation, further training followed in a variety of surgical disciplines, before she settled on a career in General Surgery. During this period of career development, she spent a number of years researching the impact of biofilm development on silicon breast implants, leading to the award of a PhD from Macquarie University.

Dr Jacombs’ General Surgery training was conducted in a number of NSW hospitals, from a base at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. This provided her with a wide range of experience and training in all aspects of General Surgery.

Since completing her Fellowship in 2019 Dr Jacombs has trained with A. Prof. Nabeel Ibrahim and developed her specialist expertise in Hernia Surgery and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction. She now has high-level expertise in all aspect of hernia diagnosis and surgical care including open and laparoscopic (key-hole) techniques. Her interest in the development of new techniques has included her use of robotic surgical tools and other innovative equipment to assist in the provision of safer and more effective surgical outcomes.

Dr Jacombs has a strong interest in research and improving patient surgical care and outcomes. Her research PhD investigated how bacteria can infect surgical implants and described improved surgical techniques to prevent complication. Also she has worked with A. Prof. Ibrahim’s research team in developing improved techniques in the pre-operative preparation of the abdominal wall muscles for patients undergoing surgical repair of large complex abdominal hernias.

Dr Jacombs is an active participant in the Hernia Surgery community, both in Australia and Internationally. She regularly speaks at national and international conferences and is a source of valuable support to her surgical peers.

A. Prof. Ibrahim was a leading hernia expert in Australia with extensive experience in all types of hernia repair. He had a surgical career that spanned more than 30 years, treating over 5000 groin hernias and performing an equal number of other abdominal wall ventral and umbilical hernia operations. He was an expert in highly advanced laparoscopic (key-hole) methods. Over his career he was active in research and developing improvement in diagnostics and operative techniques including numerous publications describing improved diagnostic imaging; the pre-operative abdominal wall preparation of patients with large abdominal hernias and improved surgical techniques for patients with complex abdominal hernias and Sports hernias.

Prof. Ibrahim was an active supporter of new surgeons and mentored Dr Anita Jacombs during her surgical training and then collaborated with her from 2019 until his unexpected passing in January 2024. He will be sadly missed.