Duminda N. Wijeysundera

Dr. Wijeysundera is a clinician-scientist in anesthesiology and perioperative medicine. He has received, as Principal Applicant, $6 million in peer-reviewed operating grants and salary support awards from CIHR, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. His other notable recognitions include the 2019 appointment as the inaugural Endowed Chair in Translational Anesthesiology Research at St. Michael’s Hospital and University of Toronto, and a 2014 Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation.

Research Synopsis

Dr. Wijeysundera’s research program focuses on developing methods to improve the prediction and prevention of major medical complications following surgery and evaluating the impact of perioperative processes-of-care on surgical outcomes. His research has resulted in more than 230 peer-reviewed publications while implementing a range of methodologies such as prospective cohort studies, randomized controlled trials, and health services research. Dr. Wijeysundera’s research program has been supported by the CIHR, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation and Ontario Academic Health Sciences Centres Innovation Fund. In addition to his research activities, Dr. Wijeysundera is a member of the editorial board of Circulation, Anesthesiology, and the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia.

Recent Publications

Abdallah FW, Wijeysundera DN, Laupacis A, Brull R, Mocon A, Hussain N, Thorpe KE, Chan VWS. Subomohyoid anterior suprascapular block versus interscalene block for arthroscopic shoulder surgery: a multicenter randomized trial. Anesthesiology. 2020 Apr;132(4):839-853. PMID: 32044802.

Jerath A, Austin PC, Ko DT, Wijeysundera HC, Fremes S, McCormack D, Wijeysundera DN. Socioeconomic status and days alive and out of hospital after major elective noncardiac surgery: a population-based cohort study. Anesthesiology. 2020 Apr;132(4):713-72 PMID: 31972656.

Jivraj NK, Scales DC, Gomes T, Bethell J, Hill A, Pinto R, Wijeysundera DN, Wunsch H. Evaluation of opioid discontinuation after non-orthopaedic surgery among chronic opioid users: a population-based cohort study. Br J Anaesth. 2020 Mar;124(3):281-291. PMID: 32000975.

Wijeysundera DN, Beattie WS, Hillis GS, Abbott TEF, Shulman MA, Ackland GL, Mazer CD, Myles PS, Pearse RM, Cuthbertson BH, on behalf of the Measurement of Exercise Tolerance before Surgery Study Investigators. Integration of the Duke Activity Status Index into preoperative risk evaluation: a multicentre prospective cohort study. Br J Anaesth. 2020 Mar;124(3):261-270. PMID: 31864719.

Wijeysundera DN, Ladha K. Annals for Hospitalists Inpatient Notes - Rethinking the role of functional capacity in preoperative risk stratification. Ann Intern Med. 2019 Oct 15;171(8):HO2-HO3. PMID: 3161057

Bartoszko J, Thorpe KE, Laupacis A, Wijeysundera DN on behalf of the METS Study Investigators. Association of preoperative anaemia with cardiopulmonary exercise capacity and postoperative outcomes in non-cardiac surgery: A substudy of the Measurement of Exercise Tolerance before Surgery (METS) study. Br J Anaesth. 2019 Aug;123(2):161-169. PMID: 31227271.

Jerath A, Austin PC, Wijeysundera DN. Days alive and out of hospital: validation of a patient-centered outcome for perioperative medicine. Anesthesiology. 2019 Jul;131(1):84-93.

Goligher EC, Tomlinson G, Hajage D, Wijeysundera DN, Fan E, Jüni P, Brodie D, Slutsky AS, Combes A. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome and posterior probability of mortality benefit in a post hoc Bayesian analysis of a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2018 Dec 4;320(21):2251-2259. PMID: 30347031.

Wijeysundera DN, Pearse RM, Shulman MA, Abbott TE, Torres E, Ambosta A, Croal BL, Granton JT, Thorpe KE, Grocott MP, Farrington C, Myles PS, Cuthbertson BH, for the METS Study Investigators. Assessment of functional capacity before major non-cardiac surgery: an international, prospective cohort study. Lancet. 2018 Jun;391(10140):2629-2638. PMID: 30070222.

Jones PM, Cherry RA, Allen BN, Bray Jenkyn KM, Shariff SZ, Flier S, Vogt KN, Wijeysundera DN. Association between handover of anesthesia care and adverse postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing major surgery. JAMA. 2018 Jan;319(2):143-153. PMID: 29318277.

Appointments

Professor, Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation,University of Toronto
Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital
Adjunct Scientist, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences
Endowed Chair in Translational Anesthesiology Research, St. Michael's Hospital and University of Toronto 

Honours and Awards

Name: Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA)
Description:

2019 - Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA), United States of America

Name: Samuel Thompson Rowling Oration
Description:

2019 - Royal College of Anaesthetists, United Kingdom

Name: New Investigator Award
Description:

2015 - 2020 - Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Name: Early Researcher Award
Description:

2013-2018 - Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation 

Name: Clinician Scientist Award
Description:

2012 - 2015 - Canadian Institutes of Health Research