Acclaimed brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo is a "miracle worker" who was worth the $100,000 private hospital price tag, according to one of his former patients.

Key points: Alyson Dunlop raised part of the money for her surgery online with GoFundMe

Alyson Dunlop raised part of the money for her surgery online with GoFundMe Professor Henry Woo this week questioned the ethics of patients crowdfunding for surgery

Professor Henry Woo this week questioned the ethics of patients crowdfunding for surgery Dr Teo has defended the prices, saying gets only $8,000 from a $120,000 surgery bill

The cost of Dr Teo's expertise this week sparked a debate over medical fees after Professor Henry Woo highlighted what he said was a "disturbing" number of online fundraising campaigns from people seeking treatment.

Dr Teo operated on Brisbane woman Alyson Dunlop, 36, to remove a pineal cyst in the centre of her brain which had been causing her extreme vertigo and nausea, headaches, chest pain, partial paralysis, as well as depression and anxiety.

She claims three neurosurgeons in Queensland had dismissed the cyst as the cause of her medical problems, saying it was too small to be causing her symptoms.

Dr Woo, a Professor of Surgery at the University of Sydney, questioned the ethics of patients resorting to crowd funding to pay for surgery.

Patients outside NSW can only access Professor Teo's surgery through the private health system, where they pay a premium.

Ms Dunlop said she never thought the cost of the surgery was excessive and crowdfunded part of bill.

She said she was bedridden before she went under the knife.

"For the first time after seeing (Dr) Teo I had hope — for the two years before I wasn't given any hope, there was no future," she said.

"There was no quality of life for me so $100,00 to get my life back, we were going to make it happen."

Professor Henry Woo has questioned the ethics of crowd funding to pay for surgery. ( Supplied: University of Sydney )

In a series of social media posts, Professor Woo cited more than 100 campaigns listed on crowdfunding site GoFundMe that mention Professor Teo and seek donations for his services.

Dr Teo, one of the nation's most recognisable medical names, told the ABC Professor Woo had raised an "important issue".

But he defended the prices, saying it was symptomatic of Australia's two health systems.

Dr Teo said if the bill for surgery was $120,000 he would personally receive only about $8,000 — a figure he described as "not a significant amount".

"The difference between public and private [and the] cost of medicine needs to be discussed," he said.

"But what you have to remember is that of that $120,000 [charged for surgery] most people think it all goes to me, and that's not the case at all."

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Ms Dunlop said she never thought the payment was too much.

"I believe (we paid) $35,000 to (Dr) Teo and his team, and the rest of those fees were anaesthetist and hospital fees," she said.

"What is the cost of someone's quality of life, how can you put a figure on that?

"He is remarkable and all the people I know that have had surgery with him believe he is a miracle worker, $35,000 doesn't seem excessive to get my life back."

Dr Teo said he regularly offered to operate on people in public hospitals, but that required other surgeons to "bury their egos" — something he claimed seldom happened.

A spokesperson from Prince of Wales Private Hospital where Dr Teo works, said individual specialists determine their own fees for specific operations.

"The hospital does not involve itself in these matters," they said.

"The surgical procedures undertaken by Dr Teo are very complex in nature and those patients generally require a lengthy post operative period in the Intensive Care Unit and the ward being cared for by specialist doctors and nurses.

"A hospital estimate of fees is provided and discussed with the patient pre operatively and if there is any monies owing this will be refunded to the patient."

