Dr Muhammad Eyad Ba'Ath
Brief Introduction
Exceeding Expectations, One Patient at a Time
Dr. Muhammad Eyad Ba'Ath is a Consultant Paediatric Surgeon and Urologist. Dr. Ba'Ath has over two decades of experience delivering pediatric surgical care, including minimally invasive surgical procedures, and pediatric urological disorders. He is an expert in Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS), also known as “scarless surgery”. His multicultural background and unique international experience enable him to provide holistic care for children from diverse communities, like the ones that exist in the UAE.
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Originally from Syria and holds a qualification in general surgery from his home country. He travelled to the UK in 2003 and started training in paediatric surgery and urology. During that time, he did a research degree with laboratory work that focused on “scarless healing” in the airway of the mouse fetus. This work was culminated by the award of a master’s degree in child health by the University of Liverpool. He also did 6 months in neonatal medicine.
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Towards the end of his training in paediatric surgery in the UK, Dr Ba’Ath decided to seek additional challenges. He took the USMLE (medical qualifying test for the US) and passed it with top marks. He then secured a fellowship position for training in paediatric surgery in the US. He counted his US time towards his UK training. It is almost as if he went through both UK and US training simultaneously. Moreover, in his continuous quest for new challenges, Dr Ba’Ath took numerous fellowships in his main specialty and specialties allied to it. Dr Ba’Ath holds British, American, and European qualifications in pediatric surgery, pediatric urology and pediatric medicine.
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Dr Ba’Ath was then appointed as a consultant at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Around that time, he was making plans for full time involvement in humanitarian work. He resigned from his position and went back to his home country and spent the next few years working in between Syria and the UK. In 2018, he was appointed as a consultant in the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
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Toward the end of 2018, he started working as a consultant at Aljalila Hospital, Dubai, UAE. He then moved to American Hospital Dubai in 2020, which he left in July 2023. He is now based in multiple hospitals across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. He also maintains his UK, USA and Syrian links and recently started making frequent visits to Abu-Alreish Hospital in Cairo, Egypt where he has been a faculty on multiple courses.
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Dr Ba’Ath has great interest in academic work and has held an adjunct professor position in multiple universities in the UAE. He publishes regularly in peer reviewed journals. He contributes to, and supervises multiple research projects in the UAE and abroad. Dr Ba’Ath has a passion for spreading knowledge. He led a team working on medical translation and this team has already translated two books into Arabic in a niche area of medicine. He maintains social media presence and uses this to educate patients and doctors’ in his area of expertise.
Previous Work Experience
United Arab Emirates
One of the largest and oldest private hospitals in the UAE. Offering a premier boutique experience combined with excellent clinical care. The hospital has state of the art facilities and employs only American Board qualified physicians or equivalent. It was the first in the region to be awarded JCI accreditation.
Aljalila Specialty Children’s Hospital
The only stand-alone children’s hospital in the UAE and a major tertiary level referral hospital. The hospital is ultra-modern and striving to become one of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the world. It has a full spectrum of pediatric sub-specialties and employs highly qualified physicians and has strong emphasis on innovation and creating a child friendly environment.
United States of America
John Hopkin’s All Children’s Hospital
Located in St Petersburg, Florida. The largest Children’s Hospital on Florida’s west coast and part of John Hopkin’s Medicine network. It has 259 beds, 63% of which are intensive care beds dedicated to care for the most challenging pediatric illnesses.
Children’s of Alabama Hospital
Located in Birmingham, Alabama. The only health system in Alabama dedicated solely to the care and treatment of children. It is a private, not-for-profit medical center that serves as the teaching hospital for the University of Alabama at Birmingham. One of the largest children’s health systems in the USA and possibly the busiest program in terms of case load for pediatric surgery.
United Kingdom
One of Europe’s largest, and busiest children’s hospitals. The hospital has been a pioneer of child’s health for over 100 years. The birthplace of neonatal intensive care and many other medical advances.
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
The largest children’s hospital in Western Europe and the supra-regional center for bladder exstrophy and metabolic diseases in the United Kingdom. The training program is the busiest in the UK for a single institution.
Syrian Arab Republic
Aleppo University Hospital
The largest hospital in the North of Syria and the one that is affiliated with the faculty of medicine.
Bab AlHawa Relief Hospital
The largest relief hospital in the Northwest of Syria and easily the busiest in terms of workload for pediatric surgery and urology.
Qualifications
Certificate of the European Board of Pediatrics (CEBP)
Fellowship of the American College of Surgeons (FACS)
Membership Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (MRCPCH)
Fellowship of the European Board of Paediatric Urology (FEAPU)
Fellowship of the European Board of Paediatric Surgery (FEBPS), best candidate award
Certificate of Completion of Training in Paediatric Surgery (CCT)
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons for Paediatric Surgery, FRCS (paed)
Master of Science in Child Health (MSc), University of Liverpool
MRCS (Ed), Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Certificate of Specialty Registration, General Surgery, Ministry of Health, Syria
USMLE, 99 score in both Step 1 & Step 2, Step 3 score 235
MD, Faculty of Medicine, Aleppo University, Overall mark 71% (>90th centile).
Humanitarian Work
Starting in 2012, Dr Ba’Ath spent substantial time working in his war-torn home country. He was mainly based at Bab Alhawa Hospital, at the Turkish-Syrian border. During that time, he established the first pediatric surgery department in the area and was instrumental in starting a training program for aspiring pediatric surgeons. This program is now mature and has already produced graduates.
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Dr Ba’Ath was clinically very busy. He worked tirelessly aiding and treating a disadvantaged community of refugees and internally displaced people. While certainly challenging, his time in humanitarian work in low resource settings was a time for innovation and resourcefulness. Dr Ba’Ath invented several devices and surgical techniques and these inventions have already been published in peer reviewed scientific journals. Dr Ba’Ath chronicled his work in the humanitarian sector in this online article he wrote for the British Association of Paediatric Surgeon available on this link.
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Dr Ba’Ath links with the region persist through his frequent visits, during which he does complicated surgeries and trains other doctors. This is in addition to the continuous online support and advice.
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Dr Ba’Ath is always on the lookout for a chance to contribute to humanitarian work and more than happy to be contacted should an opportunity arise. He is a volunteer on “Operation Giving Back”, coordinated by the American College of Surgeon. He also volunteered on Mercy Ships Africa for a period of two weeks in 2018. The ship was based in Conakry, Guinea. Dr Ba’Ath is still in the talent pool for Mercy Ships.
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More recently, Dr Ba'Ath volunteered for operation Chivalrous Knight 3, which is an relief initiative by the government of United Arab Emirates for the people of Gaza, affected by the recent flare up of hostilities. Dr Ba'Ath has already finished his first deployment to Gaza.
Academic Work
Publications
Establishing normal penile skin sensation using two-point discrimination test. Naser El-Mefleh, Muhammad Eyad Ba’Ath. Accepted for publication in the Annals of Urology Journal.
Teaching Hypospadias Repair by Utilising a Novel 3D-Printed Silicon Model: An Initial Assessment using Structured Trainee and Trainer Feedback. Aboalazayem A, Ba’ath ME, Kaddah SN, El-Barbary MM, Marei MM. Journal of Pediatric Urology, 2024.
Non-hypertrophic gastric outlet obstruction in the paediatric population: a case series with focus on management. El-Mefleh, N., Ba’Ath, M.E. Ann Pediatr Surg 19, 45 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43159-023-00277-5.
Postoperative Necrotizing Enterocolitis Following Inguinal Hernia Repair in an Infant: Case Report and Review of Literature. Alhalabi R, Belsha D, Rabei H, Muad H, Farhoud H, Nakib G, Ba'Ath ME. Cureus 15(9): e45089. doi:10.7759/cureus.45089.
The longest reported survival of a child with McCune-Albright Syndrome and a severe early presenting phenotype consisting of Neonatal Cushing Syndrome, cardiac, and liver diseases. Case report and review of the literature. Alhalabi R, Elsayed Y, Belsha D, Muad H, Zidan H, Alhubaishi LY, Ramaiah S, Ba’Ath ME. Journal of Surgical Case Reports - Oxford University Press, Volume 2023, Issue 7, July 2023, rjad409, https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjad409.
Ruptured Appendicitis and Covid-19 related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) in a Child. Alhalabi R, Belsha D, Nasrallah B, Mashlah Q, Naryan O, Ba’ath ME. Journal of MAR Pediatrics, volume 3, Issue 5.
Duodenal intussusception and pancreatitis due to a giant hamartomatous polyp in an infant. Alhalabi R, Belsha D, Alfahad A, Nasrallah B, Ba'ath ME. Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports. Feb.2023.
Castleman’s Disease as an unusual cause of back pain in childhood – case report. Mohamed A, Dsouza A, Qazi A, Alduaiji A, Ba’Ath ME. Hamdan Medical Journal. 16(2):p 115-117, Apr–Jun 2023. | DOI: 10.4103/hmj.hmj_97_22.
APSA Handbook for Surgical Pediatric Intensive Care, translation and editing Arabic version. Main translator and editor.
Conflict-related excess mortality and disability in Northwest Syria: cross-sectional field study. Alhiraki OA, Fahham O, Dubies H, Hatab J, Ba'Ath ME, BMJ Glob Health. 2022 May;7(5): e008624.
Jejunal adenomyoma in a neonate, an extremely rare cause of neonatal bowel obstruction. Case report and literature review. Mashlah Q, Alhalabi R, Ba’Ath ME, Volume 81, June 2022, 102252, Journal of Pediatric Surgery Case Reports.
Intermittent volvulus with obstruction due to a Meckel’s Diverticulum and band presenting as feeding intolerance in a neonate with Trisomy 13. Kotinatot S, Shankar S, Ba’Ath ME, Elajab A, Dsouza AP. Oman Med J. 2022 Sep 30;37(5):e414.
Expanding the phenotypic spectrum of Timothy Syndrome type 1: A sporadic case with a de novo CACNA1C pathogenic variant and segmental ileal dilatation. Nugud AA, ELkholy NM, Omar AA, Qazi A, Tzivinikos C, Chencheri N, Khan S, Ba’Ath ME. Frontiers in Pediatrics, section Pediatric Surgery. Volume 9 - 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.634655.
Bipolar circumcision: A new technique for an old procedure with quantified cosmetic outcome. El-Mefleh N, Kaddah M, Ba'Ath ME. Afr J Paediatr Surg 2021;18:187-9.
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Unexplained abdominal distention in a Neonate; Culprit Femoral Central Venous Line extravasation. Kotinatot S, Shankar S, Ba'Ath M, Almaazmi M, BMJ Case Rep. 2019 Dec 3;12(12).
The "silk road": A novel method for inserting transpyloric feeding tubes in low resource settings. Kaddah M, Al-Mefleh N, Ba’Ath ME. J Pediatr Surg. 2019 Sep 6. pii: S0022-3468(19)30596-2.
Paediatric inflammatory bowel disease: review with a focus on practice in low- to middle-income countries. ME Ba’Ath, AM Dalzell, Paediatrics and International Child Health, Volume 39 (1), 2019, P48-58
On the Frontline, online article for British Association of Paediatric Surgeons (BAPS) website
http://www.baps.org.uk/news/im-a-baps-member/frontline-muhammed-baath/
TOP KNIFE book translation to Arabic. Main translator and editor
Routine utilization of single-incision pediatric endosurgery (SIPES): a 5-year institutional experience. Seims AD, Nice TR, Mortellaro VE, Lacher M, Ba'Ath ME, Anderson SA, Beierle EA, Martin CA, Rogers DA, Harmon CM, Chen MK, Russell RT. J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2015 Mar;25(3):252-5.
Short bowel syndrome: a practical pathway leading to successful enteral autonomy. Ba'ath ME, Almond S, King B, Bianchi A, Khalil BA, Morabito A. World J Surg. 2012 May;36(5):1044-8.
The testicular regression syndrome--do remnants require routine excision? Bader MI, Peeraully R, Ba'ath M, McPartland J, Baillie C. J Pediatr Surg. 2011 Feb;46(2):384-6.
Intestinal rehabilitation and bowel reconstructive surgery: improved outcomes in children with short bowel syndrome. Khalil BA, Ba'ath ME, Aziz A, Forsythe L, Gozzini S, Murphy F, Carlson G, Bianchi A, Morabito A. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2012 Apr;54(4):505-9.
How useful is the lung-to-head ratio in predicting outcome in the fetus with congenital diaphragmatic hernia? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ba'ath ME, Jesudason EC, Losty PD. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Nov;30(6):897-906.
Surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease. Ba'ath ME, Mahmalat MW, Kapur P, Smith NP, Dalzell AM, Casson DH, Lamont GL, Baillie CT. Arch Dis Child. 2007 Apr;92(4):312-6.
"Hernia-itis", a case report. Ba'ath ME, Lamont GL. Hernia. 2008 Apr;12(2):193-4
Value of liver herniation in prediction of outcome in fetal congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Mullassery D*, Ba'ath ME*, Jesudason EC, Losty PD. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 2010 May;35(5):609-14. *1st two authours contributed equally to this work.
Anorectal malformation with tubular hindgut duplication. Craigie RJ, Abbaraju JS, Ba'ath ME, Turnock RR, Baillie CT. J Pediatr Surg. 2006 Jun;41(6):e31-4.
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Surgical implications of the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. Craigie RJ, Ba'Ath ME, Fryer A, Baillie CT. Pediatr Surg Int. 2005 Jun; 21(6):482-4.
Genitourinary malformations as a feature of the Pallister-Hall syndrome. McCann E, Fryer AE, Craigie R, Baillie C, Ba'Ath ME, Selby A, Biesecker LG. Clin Dysmorphol. 2006 Apr; 15(2):75-79.
BAPS UK Inflammatory bowel disease surgical practice survey. Smith NP, Ba'ath ME, Perry D, Morgan LE, Lamont GL, Baillie CT. J Pediatr Surg. 2007 Feb;42(2):296-9.
Presentations and posters
Establishing normal penile skin sensation using two-point discrimination test. El-mefleh N, Ba’Ath ME, oral presentation at the 23rd ESPU Congress, Lisbon, Portugal, April.2023.
First Launch of 3D printed high-fidelity hypospadias models for hands on training of standard hypospadias repairs. Abdulazim A, Ba’Ath ME, Almarei M, oral presentation at the 23rd ESPU Congress, Lisbon, Portugal, April.2023.
First Launch of 3D printed high-fidelity hypospadias models for hands on training of standard hypospadias repairs. Abdulazim A, Ba’Ath ME, Almarei M, poster presentation at the Society of Pediatric Urology Fall Congress, Las Vegas, October 2022.
Bipolar Circumcision, a novel technique for an old procedure. Al-Mefleh N, Kaddah M, Al Salihi M, Ba’Ath ME, poster presentation at the 6th Congress of World Federation of Associations of Pediatric Surgery (WOFAPS), Doha, Qatar, 1-3 November 2019.
The Silk Road: a simple and effective method for transpyloric feeding, Kaddah M, Al-Mefleh N, Ba’Ath ME, poster presentation for the annual British Association of Paediatric Surgeons (BAPS) congress, Liverpool, July 2018.
Routine utilization of single-incision pediatric endosurgery (SIPES): a five-year institutional experience. Seims AD, Nice TR, Mortellaro VE, Lacher M, Ba'Ath ME, Anderson SA, Beierle EA, Martin CA, Rogers DA, Harmon CM, Chen MK, Russell RT. Presentation at the IPEG annual congress at Edinburgh, July 2014.
The testicular regression syndrome - do remnants require routine excision? Bader MI, Peeraully MR, Ba’Ath ME, Baillie CT, Oral presentation at the prize session at the BAPS meeting, Aberdeen July 2010.
Outcome of combined fundoplication, vagotomy and pyloroplasty in children with severe neurodisability. Bader MI, Peeraully MR, Ba’Ath ME, Jones MO, Oral presentation at the BAPS meeting, Aberdeen July 2010.
The value of liver herniation in the predication of outcome in fetal congenital diaphragmatic hernia – a meta-analysis. Mullassery D *, Ba’Ath ME *, Jesudason EC, Losty PD. Oral presentation at the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons (BAPS) International Congress, Salamanca, Spain, July 2008. *1st two authors contributed equally to this work.
Epidemic of childhood empyema in England. Ba'Ath ME, Der Meulen JV, Kenny SE.Poster presentation at the American Academy of Pediatrics National conference and Exhibition, Oct 2007.
Complications of herniotomy performed by general and paediatric surgeons: a meta-analysis. Farelly P *, Ba'Ath ME *, Jesudason EC, Losty PD. Oral presentation at the Peter Paul Reckham Prize Session, at the BAPS International Congress, Edinburgh, July 2007. *1st two authors contributed equally to this work.
Factors affecting home oxygen treatment in infants: retrospective study. Ba'Ath ME, Mudawi K, Manning D, Bundred P, Lacy D. Poster presentation at the European Respiratory Society Conference, Stockholm, September 2007.
Meta-analysis of the prognostic value of lung head ratio in fetal diaphragmatic hernia. Ba'Ath ME, Jesudason EC, Losty PD. Oral presentation at the Peter Paul Reckham Prize Session, BAPS InternationalCongress, Stockholm, July 2006.
Findings of the BAPS UK inflammatory bowel disease surgical practice survey. Lamont GL, Ba'Ath ME, Perry D, Baillie CT. Oral Presentation at the BAPS International Congress, Stockholm, July 2006.
Embryonic lung mesenchyme improves fetal airway healing. Ba'Ath ME, Featherstone NC, Connell MG, Fernig DG, Jesudason EC, Losty PD. Oral presentation at the International Conference of Research in Paediatric Surgery, Stockholm, September 2005.
Surgical morbidity in children with Crohn’s disease. Ba'Ath ME, Mahmalat MW, Kapur P, Baillie C, Dalzell AM, Casson D, Lamont G. Oral presentation at the BAPS International Congress, Oxford, August 2004.
Functional outcome and morbidity following surgery for ulcerative colitis. Mahmalat MW, Ba'Ath ME, Kapur P, Kumar H, Dalzell AM, Casson D, Lamont GL, Baillie C. Poster presentation at the BAPS International Congress, Oxford, August 2004.
Surgical interventions for intractable idiopathic constipation. Ba'Ath ME, Craigie R, Corbett P, Kokai G, Kenny S, Lamont G, Losty P, Turnock R, Baillie C. Oral presentation at the International Meeting of the European Association of Paediatric Surgeons, Gdansk, Poland, May 2005.
Surgical management of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease. Ba'Ath ME, Mahmalat MW, Kapur P, Dalzell AM, Casson D, Lamont G, Baillie C. Presented at the British Society of paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition. Associate members meeting, London, October 2004.
Surgical management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in childhood. associated presentation at the IBD meeting at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, presented with Mr. C Baillie, Liverpool, June 2003.
Academic Positions
Dr Ba’Ath previously held an adjunct associate professor position with Mohammad Bin Rashid University (MBRU) for Medical Sciences. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Sharjah and Gulf Medical University.
Trainer/Courses
Hostile Environment Surgical Training course (HEST). Dr Ba’Ath was twice an instructor on this course, organized jointly by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the David Nott Foundation. The course is dedicated to teaching surgeons who practice in conflict zones and low resource settings.
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Neonatal practice in low resource setting. Organized by the Syrian American Medical Association (SAMS) and aimed at pediatricians and neonatologists practicing in the Northwest of Syria under low resource settings.
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Laparoscopy in lower GI pediatric Conditions. Organized by University of Cairo Medical School and Abu-alreish Children’s Hospitals, the largest children’s hospital in the Arab World. The course involves live operating sessions on index pediatric cases and aimed at practicing pediatric surgeons in multiple stages of their career.
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HypoLearn. Organized by University of Cairo Medical School and Abu-alreish Children’s Hospitals. The annual course is run over 3 days and is dedicated to teaching hypospadias surgery including live operating sessions.
Active Research Projects
Effect of visual awareness of spatial hand position on surgeon’s performance in Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery. The study examines the concept of enhancing the surgeon’s spatial awareness of the hands and instrument position during Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) by means of adding hands view to the laparoscopic screen monitor. In traditional laparoscopy, awareness of hands’ position is intuitive and usually aligned with endoscopic view and swording of instruments is typically avoided. In SILS, crossing of the hands is part of the technique and this adds technical difficulty and therefore potentially reduces the uptake of the technique by surgeons. The project is in collaboration with a group of medical students from the University of Sharjah and the data has been collected and is currently in the data analysis stage.
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Pubic bone staged distraction and approximation, and minimal soft tissue dissection, a novel approach to repair bladder exstrophy. Bladder exstrophy is a severe congenital deformity that is still very much an unsolved medical problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Currently practiced techniques are controversial, and results have not been proven universally reproducible. Dr Ba’Ath and his group are developing a novel technique that is based on gradual, staged bone lengthening and distraction and then approximation, prior to any soft tissue handling. In the final closure stage soft tissue repair involves only very minor dissection. This is done to preserve continence function and repair the core bony defect rather than try to bridge it with soft tissue, which is known to be deficient in itself. The technique is still in the development stage and multiple procedures have been done already with promising results. The research is done in collaboration with a group of surgeons in Northwest region of Syria.
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Twist direction recognition in surgery. A rather simple, yet novel approach to recognizing the direction of stalk torsion during surgery, particularly laparoscopic. The approach utilizes simple geometric concepts for ascertaining the direction of de-twisting, hence reducing time wasted and minimizing tissue injury from erroneous attempts. The principle is applicable to any twisted organ with a stalk. This project is currently at the data-gathering stage.
The two-points discrimination sensation of the penis in children. The study aims to establish normative values for the two-point discrimination test in the penis in children, which has never been studied, somewhat surprisingly. Establishing normal values will aid in examining the effect of different surgical techniques on penile sensation. Of particular interest is degloving of the penis, which is a routine part of many urological procedures, including repair of hypospadias. The first stage of the study was conducted in the Northwest of Syria and has been submitted for publication. Subsequent studies will follow.
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The utility of real time bladder volume volume measured by ultrasound, and linked to visual urgency scale, as a form of biofeedback for the application of urotherapy in children with symptoms of overactive bladder. Preliminary study. This study examines a new treatment method that has not been described before in this complete format for a very common and troublesome condition. This is a proof of concept study and is being conducted at Danat Al Emarat Hospital, Abu Dhabi
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Association of screen time and prevalence of bed wetting in children in the United Arab Emirates. A case control study examining the effects of one of modern life habits to a very common problem in the practice of pediatric urology. The study has been done before in other countries but never in the UAE. The study results will have important public health implications. It is being conducted at Danat Al Emarat Hospital, Abu Dhabi.