Mr Norman Briffa

MB MD FRCS(Ed) FRCS (CTh)

Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease

Honorary Reader in Cardiac Surgery

N.Briffa@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 226 6777

The Medical School

Full contact details

Mr Norman Briffa
Department of Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease
The Medical School
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX

Profile

I qualified in medicine at the University of Sheffield in 1983. I trained in Cardiothoracic Surgery in the West Midlands and Cambridge. I was awarded an MD from the University of Sheffield for a Research Project in Xenotransplanation that I completed during my time at Stanford University, California in 1996-97.

I became a Consultant in Cardiothoracic Surgery in 1998 and moved back to Sheffield in 2005.

Research interests

Clinical Trials in Heart Surgery and Data Analysis from patients undergoing Heart Valve Surgery

Current projects

A clinical trial investigating the effect of a Novel Wound Dressing on Oxygen Delivery to Wound Edges of Diabetic Patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.
I am supervising a University of Sheffield MD student who is participating in an EU funded (Horizon 2020) study called EURVALVE. Clinical data (including imaging data) is being used to construct a computer model to predict outcomes after treatment in patients with heart valve disease. This model will be used in a clinical decision support system.
I am supervising a BMedSci University of Sheffield student who is looking variables which influence gradients across aortic valve prostheses in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Briffa N & Chambers JB (2017) Biological Valves in Younger Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement: A Word of Caution.. Circulation, 135(12), 1101-1103.
Stott MC, Gooseman MR & Briffa NP (2016) Improving Medical Students’ Application of Knowledge and Clinical Decision-Making Through a Porcine-Based Integrated Cardiac Basic Science Program. Journal of Surgical Education, 73(4), 675-681.
Holmes C & Briffa N (2016) Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) in patients undergoing heart valve surgery: why should we measure them and which instruments should we use?. Open Heart, 3(1), e000315-e000315.
Briffa N (2010) Surgery for degenerative mitral valve disease. BMJ, 341(nov12 1), c5339-c5339.
Briffa NP, Shorthouse R, Chan J, Silva H, Billingham M, Brazelton T & Morris RE (2004) Histological and immunological characteristics of, and the effect of immunosuppressive treatment on, xenograft vasculopathy. Xenotransplantation, 11(2), 149-159.

All publications

Journal articles

Briffa N (2020) Commentary: The ability to see is key to 21st-century heart valve interventions. JTCVS Techniques.
Archer GT, Elhawaz A, Barker N, Fidock B, Rothman A, van der Geest RJ, Hose R, Briffa N, Hall IR, Grech E , Bissell M et al (2020) Validation of four-dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance for aortic stenosis assessment. Scientific Reports, 10(1). View this article in WRRO
Briffa N (2020) Commentary: A novel cross-species model of Barlow's disease to biomechanically analyze repair techniques in an ex vivo left heart simulator. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
Fidock B, Barker N, Balasubramanian N, Archer G, Fent G, Al-Mohammad A, Richardson J, O'Toole L, Briffa N, Rothman A , van der Geest R et al (2019) A systematic review of 4D-flow MRI derived mitral regurgitation quantification methods. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 6. View this article in WRRO
Bilkhu R, Borger MA, Briffa NP & Jahangiri M (2019) Sutureless aortic valve prostheses. Heart, 105(Suppl 2), s16-s20.
Briffa NP (2019) Results of mechanical versus tissue AVR: caution in young patients with tissue AVR. Heart, 105(Suppl 2), s34-s37.
Jahangiri M & Briffa NP (2019) Foreward to TAVI/SAVR supplement. Heart, 105(Suppl 2), s1-s1.
Chambers JB, Garbi M, Briffa N, Sharma V & Steeds RP (2019) Indications for echocardiography of replacement heart valves: a joint statement from the British Heart Valve Society and British Society of Echocardiography. Echo Research and Practice, 6(1), G9-G15.
Briffa N (2018) The employment of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to communicate the likely benefits of surgery.. Patient Relat Outcome Meas, 9, 263-266. View this article in WRRO
Briffa N & Chambers JB (2017) Biological Valves in Younger Patients Undergoing Aortic Valve Replacement: A Word of Caution.. Circulation, 135(12), 1101-1103.
Stott MC, Gooseman MR & Briffa NP (2016) Improving Medical Students’ Application of Knowledge and Clinical Decision-Making Through a Porcine-Based Integrated Cardiac Basic Science Program. Journal of Surgical Education, 73(4), 675-681.
Holmes C & Briffa N (2016) Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) in patients undergoing heart valve surgery: why should we measure them and which instruments should we use?. Open Heart, 3(1), e000315-e000315.
Haqzad Y, Loubani M, Chaudhry M, Ariyaratnam P & Briffa N (2016) Multicentre, propensity-matched study to evaluate long-term impact of implantation technique in isolated aortic valve replacement on mortality and incidence of redo surgery. Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, 22(5), 599-605.
Barua A, Kaul P & Briffa N (2016) Giant Vein Graft Aneurysm. Journal of Cardiac Surgery, 31(2), 102-102.
Fent G, Grech E, Parviz Y & Briffa N (2015) Left ventricular free wall rupture complicating acute STEMI. Acute Cardiac Care, 17(3), 45-45.
Mickleburgh J, Gooseman M, Stott M & Briffa N (2015) Expert-led cardiac basic science teaching in an integrated clinical learning environment: Improving global educational outcomes for undergraduates. International Journal of Surgery, 23, S32-S32.
Watts A, Briffa N, Anderson M, Yaghi O & Patel H (2015) Detection and prevention of post-operative delirium–are we forgetting the guidelines within cardiothoracic surgery?. International Journal of Surgery, 23, S33-S33.
Holmes C & Briffa N (2015) Evaluation of the effect of treatment in patients undergoing heart valve surgery in Sheffield using patient reported outcome measures. International Journal of Surgery, 18, 244-244.
Rowe R, Iqbal J, Murali-krishnan R, Sultan A, Orme R, Briffa N, Denvir M & Gunn J (2014) Role of frailty assessment in patients undergoing cardiac interventions. Open Heart, 1(1). View this article in WRRO
Briffa N (2013) Putting a stop to preventable deaths. The Health service journal, 123(6364), 21-23.
Chambers JB, Shah BN, Prendergast B, Lawford PV, McCann GP, Newby DE, Ray S, Briffa N, Shanson D, Lloyd G & Hall R (2013) Valvular heart disease: a call for global collaborative research initiatives. Heart, 99(24), 1797-1799.
Solodkyy A, Shalhoub J, Chetty G & Briffa NP (2012) A rare case of giant coronary artery aneurysm in the context of multiple arterial aneurysms. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 3(7), 311-313.
Briffa N (2012) Why cardiothoracic surgeons must tweet and blog. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 143(1), 247-247.
Owers CE, Vaughan P, Braidley PC, Wilkinson GAL, Locke TJ, Cooper GJ, Briffa NP, Hopkinson DN & Sarkar PK (2011) Atrial Myxomas: A Single Unit's Experience in the Modern Era. The Heart Surgery Forum, 14(2), E105-E109.
Briffa N (2010) Surgery for degenerative mitral valve disease. BMJ, 341(nov12 1), c5339-c5339.
Taggart DP, Altman DG, Gray AM, Lees B, Nugara F, Yu L-M, Campbell H & Flather M (2010) Randomized trial to compare bilateral vs. single internal mammary coronary artery bypass grafting: 1-year results of the Arterial Revascularisation Trial (ART). European Heart Journal, 31(20), 2470-2481.
VOHRA H, GOLDSMITH I, ROSIN M, BRIFFA N & PATEL R (2005) The predictors and outcome of recidivism in cardiac ICUs. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 27(3), 508-511.
Briffa NP, Shorthouse R, Chan J, Silva H, Billingham M, Brazelton T & Morris RE (2004) Histological and immunological characteristics of, and the effect of immunosuppressive treatment on, xenograft vasculopathy. Xenotransplantation, 11(2), 149-159.
Briffa N (2001) Surgeons' attitudes to intraoperative death. Cardiac surgeons might have different attitudes.. BMJ, 323(7308), 341-342.
Ikonen TS, Briffa N, Gummert JF, Honda Y, Hayase M, Hausen B, Billingham ME, Yock PG, Robbins RC & Morris RE (2000) MULTIDIMENSIONAL ASSESSMENT OF GRAFT VASCULAR DISEASE (GVD) IN AORTIC GRAFTS BY SERIAL INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND IN RHESUS MONKEYS1. Transplantation, 70(3), 420-429.
Hausen B, Ikonen T, Briffa N, Berry GJ, Christians U, Robbins RC, Hook L, Serkova N, Benet LZ, Schuler W & Morris RE (2000) COMBINED IMMUNOSUPPRESSION WITH CYCLOSPORINE (NEORAL) AND SDZ RAD IN NON-HUMAN PRIMATE LUNG TRANSPLANTATION: SYSTEMATIC PHARMACOKINETIC-BASED TRIALS TO IMPROVE EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY 1. Transplantation, 69(1), 76-76.
Hausen B, Berry GJ, Dagum P, Ikonen T, Christians U, Briffa N, Hook L & Morris RE (1999) The histology of subcutaneously implanted donor bronchial rings correlates with rejection scores of lung allografts in a primate lung transplant model11This study was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Basle, Switzerland; the Hedco Foundation; and the Falk Medical Trust. B. Hausen and U. Christians funded by the German Research Society. T. Ikonen funded by the ISHLT/Roche Laboratories Transplantation Fellowship.. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, 18(7), 714-724.
Briffa N & Morris RE (1998) Immunosuppressive drugs after lung transplantation. BMJ, 316(7133), 719-720.
Briffa N & Morris RE (1997) New immunosuppressive regimens in lung transplantation. European Respiratory Journal, 10(11), 2630-2637.
Briffa N, Vicidimini G, Braidley P, Nashef SAM & Wells FC (1996) Bullous emphysema: The role of the surgeon. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 55(4), 213-217.
Briffa NP, Clarke S, Kugan G, Coulden R, Wallwork J & Nashef SAM (1996) Surgical angioplasty of the left main coronary artery: Follow-up with magnetic resonance imaging. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 62(2), 550-552.
Briffa N & Large SR (1996) Venous thromboembolism in coronary artery surgery.. Heart, 75(5), 433-433.
Alkhulaifi A, Allen SM, Anderson JR, Argano V, Austin C, Barlow C, Barnard S, Barron D, Berrisford R, Billing S , Brackenbury E et al (1995) New deal not satisfactory for cardiothoracic surgery. BMJ, 311(7010), 953-953.
Briffa NP, Dennis C, Higenbottam T, Nashef SA, Large SR, Wallwork J & Wells FC (1995) Single lung transplantation for end stage emphysema.. Thorax, 50(5), 562-564.
Briffit NP & Wells FC (1994) Chordal preservation during mitral valve replacement. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 58(5), 1563-1563.
Briffa NP, Dyde JA & Harris RI (1994) Heart operation in a patient with refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 107(1), 316-317.
BRIFFA N & NORTON R (1993) Simultaneous oesophagectomy and CABG for cancer and ischaemic heart disease. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 7(10), 557-558.
Briffa N, Oaks T, Parameshawar J, Schofield P, Large S & Wallwork J (1993) Harvesting of domino hearts.. J Heart Lung Transplant, 12(5), 884-885.
Briffa NP, Price C, Grotte GJ & Keenam DJM (1992) Radial nerve injury in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 53(6), 1149-1150.
Price C, Briffa NP & Lynn MA (1992) Perforation of an intraaortic balloon twice in one patient.. J Cardiovasc Surg (Torino), 33(1), 44-45.
Briffa NP, Wilson I & Clarke DB (1991) Surgical treatment of pulmonary hypertension in protein C deficiency.. Heart, 66(6), 460-462.
BRIFFA N, ALLEN S, WILSON I & CLARKE D (1991) Current early results of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic pulmonary embolism. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 5(5), 281-281.
Briffa NP & Callum KG (1989) Use of an embolectomy catheter to remove a submandibular duct stone. British Journal of Surgery, 76(8), 814-814.
Briffa NP (1989) Cardiac tamponade: a review of diagnosis and anaesthetic and surgical management illustrated by three case reports.. Ann R Coll Surg Engl, 71(2), 146-147.
Shah BN, Schlosshan D, McConkey HZR, Buch MH, Marshall AJ, Cartwright N, Dobson LE, Allen C, Campbell B, Khan P , Savill PJ et al () Outpatient management of heart valve disease following the COVID-19 pandemic: implications for present and future care. Heart.
Ow KW, Parker WAE, Porter MM, Hanson J, Judge HM, Briffa NP, Thomas MR & Storey RF () Offset of ticagrelor prior to coronary artery bypass graft surgery for acute coronary syndromes: effects on platelet function and cellular adenosine uptake. Platelets, 1-7.
Briffa N () Medical associates: junior doctors should pick their battles. BMJ, l4265-l4265.
Hosoba S, Suzuki T, Asai T & Takashima N () Surgical Repair of a Giant Atrial Septal Aneurysm with Patent Foramen Ovale. The Heart Surgery Forum, 14(4), 267-267.
Briffa N () Off pump coronary artery bypass: a passing fad or ready for prime time?. European Heart Journal, 29(11), 1346-1349.

Conference proceedings papers

Archer G, Briffa N, Hall I, Wild J, Garg P & Grech E (2020) NOVEL METHODS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF AORTIC STENOSIS. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 75(11) (pp 1684-1684)
Hague AG & Briffa N (2013) Improving the accuracy of death prediction after cardiac surgery - creating SheffScore. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Vol. 100 (pp 13-13)
Gunn J & Briffa N (2008) Coronary artery bypass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention for left main stem coronary artery disease: synergy in a real-world registry. HEART, Vol. 94 (pp A30-A31)
Snead DRJ, Dhillon DP, Vohra H, Briffa N, Blanks A & Bird H (2005) Genome-wide analysis of LOH by SNP microarrays to demonstrate chromosomal loss in lung cancer precursor lesions. JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, Vol. 205 (pp 4-4)
Gummert JF, Ikonen T, Briffa N, Honda Y, Hayase M, Perlroth J, Kobayashi Y, Hausen B, Barlow C, Billingham ME , Fitzgerald P et al (1998) A new large-animal model for research of graft vascular disease. Transplantation Proceedings, Vol. 30(8) (pp 4023-4023)
DENNIS CM, BRIFFA N, WELLS F, FLOWER CDR, HIGENBOTTAM TW & WALLWORK J (1993) THE AIRWAY ANASTOMOSIS - IS THERE A PROBLEM. AMERICAN REVIEW OF RESPIRATORY DISEASE, Vol. 147(4) (pp A601-A601)

Professional activities

Emeritus President of the British Heart Valve Society.
Member of NHS England working group on Heart Valve Disease and Heart Failure.
Member of the NICE Guideline Committee for Adult Heart Valve Disease.
Associate Editor of Heart.