About A/Professor Lukas Ernstbrunner

Orthopaedic Surgeon | Associate Professor of Biomechanics

A/Professor Ernstbrunner is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon specialising in shoulder, hip and knee conditions, with advanced experience in treating osteoarthritis and sports injuries. He has a special interest in muscle-sparing and robotic-assisted joint replacements, and in key-hole surgery for tendon and ligament injuries.

Lukas completed his medical degree with distinction at the Paracelsus Medical University in Austria. He obtained his doctoral degree at the University of Zurich in Switzerland followed by a PhD focussing on biomechanics through a collaborative program between the Paracelsus Medical University, the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich), and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA. He went on to undertake advanced orthopaedic training at the Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich, under the mentorship of globally respected orthopaedic surgeon Professor Christian Gerber.

Following his Swiss Orthopaedic board certification (FMH), Lukas relocated to Australia to complete multiple competitive fellowships to deepen his clinical and academic expertise on arthroplasty and key-hole surgery of the shoulder, hip and knee joints. Lukas worked at leading public hospitals such as the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, and at the regarded Melbourne Orthopaedic Group. He holds the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) and is a Fellow of the Australian Orthopaedic Association (FAOrthA).

A/Professor Ernstbrunner’s special interests include:

• Robotic-assisted shoulder, hip and knee replacements


• Muscle-sparing knee replacements

• Arthroscopic shoulder stabilisation and rotator cuff surgery


• Arthroscopic knee and meniscus surgery

He currently serves as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and consults privately at St. Vincent’s East Melbourne, Epworth Richmond, and Epworth Eastern. He has also commenced private practice in Albury-Wodonga.

A/Professor Ernstbrunner is also an internationally recognised researcher and Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Melbourne. His research — focused on joint biomechanics and implant design — has been published in over 110 peer-reviewed articles in leading orthopaedic journals and has been cited more than 3,300 times. His academic contributions have earned multiple international research awards and grants. He continues to present his results on national and international conferences.

At ROM, Lukas brings together his surgical skill-set, academic knowledge, and a commitment to evidence-based, patient-centred care. His practice is grounded in the values of clinical excellence, research-driven innovation, collaboration, and compassion — all of which guide his mission to improve outcomes for every patient.