Dr Benjamin East is an Australian trained Orthopaedic Surgeon who sub-specialises in Shoulder and Elbow conditions and treatment. Dr East also works as a General Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon in Newcastle at John Hunter Hospital – a level 1 Trauma Centre, treating all types of complex orthopaedic trauma. Dr East takes complex trauma referrals from all over the Hunter New England Health district and works with high level sporting teams, including the NRL Newcastle Knights.

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Dr East’s interest in medicine and orthopaedics developed while working with Leprosy patients in South India.

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As a Shoulder and Elbow Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr East carries out shoulder replacement using the most advanced prostheses (anatomic and reverse), performs keyhole surgery for rotator cuff repairs and unstable shoulders and conducts Latarjet procedures. Dr East also performs elbow arthroscopy, stiff elbow release and mobilisation, reconstruction for instability, nerve decompressions and transposition surgery. He routinely treats shoulder and elbow fractures & dislocations, AC joint and clavicle fractures and dislocations as well as all types of general orthopaedic trauma.

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Dr East operates at Lingard Private Hospital, Warners Bay Private Hospital and both the John Hunter and Belmont public hospitals.

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Qualifications:

• Studied Medicine at the University of Sydney.

• Orthopaedic Surgical training in Newcastle.

• Local fellowship in Shoulder and Elbow surgery in Newcastle.

• Fellowship in Shoulder and Elbow surgery in Melbourne where he learnt cutting edge techniques.

• Fellowship in Shoulder and Elbow surgery at Cambridge University’s Addenbrooke’s Hospital. This time saw him work with internationally known shoulder arthroscopy surgeon, Graham Tytherleigh-Strong, and upper limb trauma surgeon, Lee Van-Rensburg.

• Fellowship at the Centre Orthopaedique Santy, Lyon, France, world leaders in degenerative shoulder conditions, to work with Gilles Walch and Lionel Nathan.

• Degree in Biomechanical Engineering.

 

Dr East is actively involved in research and education.  He regularly performs professional development instructional courses and lectures in shoulder and elbow surgery.

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He remains interested in the implementation of cutting edge engineering technology, research and the application of advances in medicine and surgery to patient care.  He is also involved in the Australian Orthopaedic Association’s Orthopaedic Outreach program in Indonesia and the Pacific (https://www.orthoreach.org.au/country/indonesia/) and is a reviewer for the Australia, New Zealand Journal of Surgery.

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Research:

• Hernandez K, East B, Hutchinson M, Smith M and Williams N. “Unique case of ‘trigger wrist’ secondary to deep tissue leiomyoma in a healthy 6-year-old.” ANZ J Surg. Mar, 2019

• East, B. and Dallalana, R. “A Surgical Technique for Corrective Osteotomy of a Complex Distal Humeral Deformity Using 3-Dimensional Printing Technology”, Tech Should Elb Surg 2019;20: 30–34

• Lawrence, C., East, B., Rashid, A., and Tytherleigh-Strong, G.,“The Prevalence of Osteoarthritis of the Sternoclavicular Joint on Computerised Tomography” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 2017, 26(1), e18-22

• Lawrence, C., East, B. and Van Rensburg, L. “Regarding Elbow radiographic anatomy: Measurement techniques and normative data.” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 21(9), 1236–1246

• Dallalana, R., McMahon, R., East, B. and Geraghty, L.“Accuracy of Patient-Specific Instrumentation in Anatomic and Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty” International Journal of Shoulder Surgery, 2016 10(2)

• Lawrence, C., Tytherleigh-Strong, G., East, B., and Rashid, R. “Arthroscopic Sternoclavicular Joint Discetomy for Acute and Chronic Tears” Journal of Arthroscopy and Related Surgery, 2016, Volume 32, Issue 6, e11-e11

• East, B., “Pain the Fifth Vital Sign” – Published in the Sydney University Medical Journal 2006. This article examines whether pain is a symptom or a sign examining the role in plays in the doctor/patient relationship

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