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Catheter treatment is not only effective, but also cost-effective for ischemic stroke

Catheter treatment is not only effective, but also cost-effective for ischemic stroke

29 September 2026

With ischemic stroke, every minute counts. However, many patients do not seek hospital care until it is too late, for example, because symptoms are not immediately recognized or because people wake up with signs of neurological deficits. As a result, a group of patients is no longer eligible for catheter treatment. 

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Platelets: more than a band-aid

Platelets: more than a band-aid

23 September 2026

Some processes in our body might seem obvious to us. If you cut your finger, the bleeding will stop shortly and form a scab. Behind that seemingly simple process hides a sophisticated system of platelets and clotting factors. By now, we know that platelets do much more than halt bleeding: they function as information carriers and regulators of disease processes. 

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Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

Bart Maesen

Assistant Professor

Bart Maesen studied medicine at the University of Antwerp, Belgium and obtained a research position to conduct research on ischaemia/reperfusion injury following his graduation. Afterwards he moved to Maastricht, the Netherlands. He started his training in cardiothoracic surgery with a 4 -years fellowship at the electrophysiology lab of Prof Uli Schotten in 2006. Based on the research performed in this period, he obtained his PhD with a thesis on structure-function relationships of atrial fibrillation waves in goat and man. 

During his surgical traineeship he was trained in arrhythmia surgery by Prof. Mark La Meir. With his understanding of electrophysiology and manual skills, he was soon able to take over the hybrid AF ablation programme and together with interventional electrophysiologist Dr Justin Luermans and with the support of Prof. Harry Crijns, he developed an international highly acclaimed minimally invasive hybrid arrhythmia surgery programme at Maastricht UMC+.

Bart became staff member in 2017 and is currently head of our Arrhythmia Surgery programme. He is setting up a translational research programme with focus on improving outcome in surgical AF management by better understanding of basic mechanisms and concepts. He supervises several PhD students and helps other centers to start their own AF minimally invasive hybrid AF programme. 

Bart maesen 684aae2c83e32

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht
Room number: 3.C2.016

  • 2026
    • Aerts, L., Norup Hertel, J., Hermans, B. J. M., Luermans, J. G. L., Chaldoupi, S.-M., Lans, R., Saljic, A., Maessen, J. G., Jespersen, T., Linz, D., & Maesen, B. (2026). Analysis of Ablation Curves to Predict Transmural Lesions Using an Epicardial Bipolar Irrigated Radiofrequency Clamp in Pigs and Humans. Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15569845261448874
    • Smeets, R. R., Prent, A., Maesen, B., van ’t Hof, A. W. J., Vriesendorp, P. A., & Mees, B. M. E. (2026). A Multidisciplinary Approach for Safe Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation in Patients with High Risk Features for Access Complications. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 72(3), 548-549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejvs.2026.05.018
    • Vanglabeke, L., Verbelen, T., Roussel, J. C., Carranza, C. L., Conradi, L., Cathenis, K., Troise, G., Guihaire, J., Bustamante-Munguira, J., Meuris, B., Petersen, J., François, J., Fleerakkers, J., Gaillard, M., Vallée, A., Abascal, A. A., García, E. V., Pacini, D., Mariani, C., ... Et al. (2026). Real-World Early Outcomes of the Avalus Aortic Valve: Results From 1250 Patients in the Avalus Clinical confidencE Registry. Annals of Thoracic Surgery Short Reports, 4(3), 830-836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atssr.2026.02.037
    • Winters, J., Kawczynski, M., Gilbers, M., Isaacs, A., Zeemering, S., Habibi, Z., Rienstra, M., van Gelder, I., Maesen, B., Bidar, E., Verheule, S., & Schotten, U. (2026). Histological evaluation of clinically defined atrial cardiomyopathy stages and their association with atrial fibrillation burden under continuous monitoring for a 2.5-year follow-up. EP Europace, 28(7), Article euag146. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euag146
    • ter Bekke, R., Kaya, Y., Pison, L., Evertz, R., Vernooy, K., Luermans, J., Vroomen, M., Jeurissen, J., Chaldoupi, M., Bidar, E., Lorusso, R., Sauren, B., Lameir, M., & Maesen, B. (2026). Patient-tailored minimally invasive hybrid ablation of complex ventricular tachycardia substrates. JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, 12(7), 1544-1555. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2026.02.031
    • Aerts, L., Gruwez, H., de Wever, M., Ezzat, D., Heuts, S., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Chaldoupi, S. M., Maessen, J. G., Lorusso, R., Gutermann, H., Pison, L., & Maesen, B. (2026). 1- and 2-stage hybrid atrial fibrillation ablation using a biparietal irrigated radiofrequency clamp: A dual-center cohort analysis. Heart Rhythm O2, 7(6), 1067-1076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hroo.2026.03.014
    • Aerts, L., Kawczynski, M. J., Verberkmoes, N. J., Van Brakel, T., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Heuts, S., Verbeek, E., Cocchieri, R., Salzberg, S. P., Gruwez, H., Gutermann, H., Pison, L., Elesin, D., Bogachev-Prokophiev, A., Shelest, O., Troitskiy, A., Khabazov, R., Zotov, A., & Maesen, B. (2026). Safety and Efficacy of Stand-Alone and Hybrid Thoracoscopic Atrial Fibrillation Ablation. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 68(5), Article ezag161. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezag161
    • Habibi, Z., Verhaert, D. V. M., Ozgul, O. F., Betz, K., Hermans, B. J. M., Philippens, S. A. M., Chaldoupi, S.-M., Maesen, B., Sandgren, E., Maessen, J. G., Isaacs, A. J., Westra, S. W., Nijveldt, R., Zeemering, S., Vernooy, K., Linz, D., & Schotten, U. (2026). Pre-procedural time spent in atrial fibrillation using intermittent ECG monitoring is associated with arrhythmia recurrence after ablation: the ISOLATION cohort study. EP Europace, 28(3), Article euag044. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euag044
    • Kowalewski, M., Smoczynski, R., Ogorzelec, N., Stec, S., Kornaszewska, M., Maesen, B., & Suwalski, P. (2026). State-of-the-Art: Central Europe’s first hybrid unilateral left-sided thoracoscopic MAZE ablation of atrial fibrillation with left atrial appendage occlusion followed by robotic coronary artery bypass LIMA-LAD. Kardiologia Polska, 84(1), 106-107. Article 84508. https://doi.org/10.33963/v.phj.108301
    • Aerts, L., Kawczynski, M. J., Luermans, J., Bidar, E., Linz, D., Kowalewski, M., Lorusso, R., Pison, L., La Meir, M., Maesen, B., & Heuts, S. (2026). Effectiveness of Catheter and Standalone Surgical Ablation Procedures for Atrial Fibrillation: A Bayesian-Network Meta-analysis. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 42(1), 136-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2025.10.018
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