David Barron

Before joining The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) as the Division Head of Cardiovascular Surgery in 2019, David Barron was the Senior Cardiac Surgeon at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, UK. David had been a consultant (staff) at Birmingham Children’s Hospital since 1999. He graduated from St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, and had his cardiothoracic training at Papworth Hospital, Southampton, the Royal Brompton Hospital and Great Ormond Street. During his residency, he obtained a doctorate (MD) from Imperial College, London in biomechanical cardiac assist. He is dual qualified in both internal medicine and in cardiothoracic surgery. He was the lead for Congenital Cardiac Training in the UK and has been on the Executive of the British and European Cardiothoracic Societies. David was also a consultant at the Queen Elizabeth, University Hospital Birmingham for Adult Congenital Cardiac Surgery and Honorary Professor at the Department of Child Health, University of Birmingham.

His research interests include Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, Congenitally Corrected Transposition, 3D Printing in Cardiac Surgery and Complex Pulmonary Atresia. His research has focused on surgical innovations in these conditions as well as in developing risk adjustment scores, national database development in congenital cardiac surgery and in quality improvement systems, supported by CIHR, NIHR and British Heart Foundation grants of >$4M.

Research

Dr. Barron's research interests include:

• Surgery for congenitally corrected transposition and  reconditioning/training of the left ventricle 
• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and imaging of myocardial perfusion in the functional single ventricle 
• Unifocalisation techniques in complex pulmonary atresia 
• Risk adjustment systems in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease
• Innovations with 3-D printing in both surgical education and in precision medicine for vascular reconstruction

Education and experience

• 1999–2019: Professor of Surgery, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, England
• 1999–2019: Consultant (Staff) Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Birmingham, England
• 1998–1999: National Rotation (SpR), Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Birmingham, England
• 1997–1998: National Rotation (SpR), Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, England
• 1996–1997: Senior Resident, National Fellow, Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Royal Brompton Hospital, London, England
• 1995–1996: Doctorate, MD, Imperial College of Science, London, England
• 1993–1995: Resident, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, England
• 1992–1993: Resident, Intensive Care, Charing Cross Hospital, London, England
• 1990–1992: Cambridge Peri-Fellowship Rotation, General Surgery, Papworth and Addenbrookes, Cambridge, England
• 1988: Bachelor’s, MB BS, St. Thomas’ Hospital Medical School, London, England

Achievements

• 2023: Co-Chair, 2024 AATS Congenital Program
• 2020: Surgical Representative, SickKids Medical Staff Association (MSA)
• 2019: Division Head, Cardiovascular Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario
• 2019: Director for Adult Congenital Heart Surgery, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario
• 2018: Editorial Board, Journal for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
• 2017–2019: Lead Examiner, European Board Examination Congenital Cardiac Surgery
• 2017: Appointed to executive committee, European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association 
• 2016-19: Elected Chairman, Midlands Network, and Congenital Cardiac Services
• 2016: Council Member, European Association Cardiothoracic Surgery (EACTS)
• 2016: Editorial Board, European Journal Cardiothoracic Surgery 
• 2016: Associate Editor, World Journal for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery
• 2009–2019: National Surgical Lead-Steering Group: Congenital Audit, NCHDA (National Congenital Heart Disease Audit, UK)
• 2006–2019: College Assessor- Appointed by the Royal College of Surgeons (UK)

1. Barron DJ, Kutty RS, Stickley J, Stümper O, Botha P, Khan NE, Jones TJ, Drury NE, Brawn WJ. Unifocalization cannot rely exclusively on native pulmonary arteries: the importance of recruitment of major aortopulmonary collaterals in 249 cases†. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2019 Oct 1;56(4):679-687. 
2. Brown KL, Huang Q, Hadjicosta E, Seale AN, Tsang V, Anderson D, Barron D, Bellsham-Revell H, Pagel C, Crowe S, Espuny-Pujol F, Franklin R, Ridout D. Long-term survival and center volume for functionally single-ventricle congenital heart disease in England and Wales. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2022 Nov 25:S0022-5223(22)01259-4. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2019 Oct;158(4):1185-1196.
3. Miller JR, Stephens EH, Goldstone AB, Glatz AC, Kane L, Van Arsdell GS, Stellin G, Barron DJ, d'Udekem Y, Benson L, Quintessenza J, Ohye RG, Talwar S, Fremes SE, Emani SM, Eghtesady P. The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) 2022 Expert Consensus Document: Management of infants and neonates with tetralogy of Fallot. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2023 Jan;165(1):221-250.
4. Aguet J, Fakhari N, Nguyen M, Mertens L, Szabo E, Ertl-Wagner B, Crawford L, Haller C, Barron D, Baranger J, Villemain O. Impact of cardiopulmonary bypass on cerebrovascular autoregulation assessed by ultrafast ultrasound imaging. J Physiol. 2023 Mar;601(6):1077-1093.
5. Hussein N, Honjo O, Barron DJ, Haller C, Coles JG, Van Arsdell G, Lim A, Yoo SJ. Assessment tool validation and technical skill improvement in the simulation of the Norwood operation using three-dimensional-printed heart models. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2020 Nov