Mr Suren Arul

Suren wearing his BCH uniformConsultant Paediatric Surgeon

Suren has been a consultant surgeon at Birmingham Children’s Hospital since 2004.  His interests include vascular access, oncology, trauma and human factors.

His main topic of research at present is the management of babies with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) and using a surgical approach known as Damage Control Surgery - this is a technique taken directly from the adult world of battlefield trauma and applied to the smallest babies (those less than 1,000g).  By coordinating the entire pathway, it not only significantly reduced the time to surgery, but also improved survival and reduced the need for a stoma. This is now leading towards a national consensus on the management of NEC.  

Current Grants

West Midlands Academic Health Science Network — £25,000
BCH Charities — £4,000
Children in Surgery — £4.500

Recent publications

Impact of a Regional Damage Control Surgery Pathway on Time to Surgery for Neonates with Severe Necrotising Enterocolitis

An enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway for laparoscopic gastrostomy insertion facilitates 23-hour discharge

Ultrasound guided percutaneous insertion of Hickman lines.  Prospective study of 500 consecutive procedures

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