Sir Brian Barratt-Boyes, who died 8 March age 82, was a pioneering New Zealand cardiac surgeon. He was born in Wellington, New Zealand on 13 January 1924. He was educated at Wellington College and Victoria University before going on to study at Otago’s Medical School, graduating in 1946. He continued his training as a surgeon, initially in New Zealand and later at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA from 1953–5. Then as a Nuffield Fellow he worked in Bristol from 1955–6. At the Mayo Clinic he worked with John Kirklin who was at that time developing the techniques of open heart surgery. The two became firm friends …