Mr Stuart Eaton obtained his medical degree through Melbourne University and then went on to complete his surgical training with the Royal Melbourne Hospital by 1998.
Stuart then spent a fellowship year in Surgical Oncology at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute in East Melbourne before travelling to the United Kingdom to train further in upper gastrointestinal disease with a focus on laparoscopic approaches to surgical therapies.
Stuart returned to Australia in 2001 and commenced practice in Ballarat with Central Highlands Surgeons at that time.
He also gained an appointment with Ballarat Health Services on the Upper GI Unit.
Currently he also is credentialed for work at St John of God Hospital Ballarat, Southwest Healthcare (Camperdown Hospital) and the Ballarat Day Procedure Centre on Howitt Street.
In his time in Ballarat Stuart performed the first transhiatal oesophagectomy in the town as well as the first laparoscopic adrenalectomy and more recently the first laparoscopic oesophagectomy.
He has also completed training in bariatric surgery for the management of obesity and metabolic disorders.
This was initially involving laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and then evolved to laparoscopic sleeve gastric resection and laparoscopic gastric bypass.
Revision surgery is becoming an increasing part of this field of treatment. As well as his passion for laparoscopic surgery Stuart maintains a strong interest in Surgical Oncology with an ongoing surgical appointment with Breastscreen and clinical interest in the surgical management of breast cancer and melanoma.
Recently he has been performing oncoplastic surgical techniques to assist with breast shape remodelling after partial resections for cancer, allowing for larger resections and improved cosmetic outcomes in selected cases.
Surgical techniques that Stuart received post fellowship training in and maintains a strong interest in are thyroid and parathyroid resection including focussed parathyroidectomy as well as laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair via a transabdominal technique.
This approach allows repair for most herniae, even very large and recurrent herniae including recurrent herniae previously repaired either in an open or laparoscopic fashion.
It also allows for visualisation of the opposite side and in selected cases repair of subclinical but significant defects if seen.
Outside of his surgical pursuits Stuart enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys as well as time cycling, bushwalking and fishing.
