In the world of cardiac surgery, few names command the reverence and awe of Dr. Tirone David.
Known globally as a pioneer, innovator and mentor, Dr. David, a cardiac surgeon at UHN's Peter Munk Cardiac Centre where he holds the Melanie Munk Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery, has transformed the field and touched tens of thousands of lives — both in and out of the operating room.
"He doesn't just set the standard here — he sets the standard globally," Dr. Barry Rubin, Program Medical Director at Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, says in a UHN video honouring Dr. David's accomplishments.
"When Dr. David speaks, everyone listens."
In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, Dr. David has earned a place among the first 2025 inductees into Canada's Walk of Fame in the Science, Technology and Innovation category. This prestigious honour celebrates a career marked by groundbreaking innovation, surgical mastery, and an unwavering dedication to advancing patient care.
Born in Brazil in 1944, Dr. Tirone Esperidiao David came to Canada in the 1970s after completing his medical training in Brazil and surgical residencies in the United States. He joined Toronto General Hospital in 1978 and quickly rose to become one of the most respected cardiac surgeons in the world.
Among his many groundbreaking contributions, Dr. David is best known for developing the "David Procedure," a valve-sparing aortic root replacement technique that preserves a patient's native aortic valve while repairing life-threatening aneurysms. This innovation has become a global standard, saving countless lives and improving long-term outcomes for patients with heart conditions such as Marfan syndrome.
His colleagues and former trainees describe him as a "superstar," a "gentle giant," and even "God" in the operating room. Dr. David's surgical skill is often described as ballet-like, with a precision and grace that belies the complexity of his work.
"There's a symmetry to the way he moves," says Dr. Rubin. "It's like watching a master artist at work."
Beyond the operating room, Dr. David has mentored hundreds of surgeons from around the world, many of whom now lead cardiac programs in their own countries. He has published more than 365 scientific papers, authored multiple surgical textbooks and served as President of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.
Perhaps most remarkably, Dr. David has maintained a personal database tracking the outcomes of every patient he has operated on — some for more than 20 years. This commitment to long-term follow-up has provided invaluable insights into the durability and success of surgical techniques, making his work a cornerstone of modern cardiac care.
At the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, where he has spent much of his career, Dr. David's legacy is not just in the procedures he pioneered, but in the culture of excellence, innovation, and compassion he has fostered.
Despite having performed more than 15,000 open-heart surgeries, Dr. David remains humble and driven.
"I'm always aiming for perfection," he says. "I'm not done yet. I have more things to do."
