Elham Bidar

Associate professor

Elham Bidar studied medicine at Maastricht University, within the problem-based learning (PBL) system, a philosophy he now strategically integrates into education, research, and clinical care. The PBL approach allowed him to begin early scientific research in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery (CTC), resulting in a PhD in 2018, on the topic 'Assessment of the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of atrial fibrillation during and after cardiac surgery' supervised by Prof. Uli Schotten and Prof. Jos G. Maessen.

Since 2019, he has served as a staff member in CTC at Maastricht UMC+, where he specializes in open and minimal invasive cardiovascular surgery including throacoscopic AF ablation and open aortic procedures.

As of April 2025, he is appointed Head of the Department of CTC at the Heart+Vascular Center and Chairman and Principal Investigator of the department at CARIM.

Within the CARIM+HVC network, he fosters close collaborations between clinicians and basic scientists to address clinical challenges through transdisciplinary research, using open-heart surgery and the heart-lung machine as in vivo models. Key focus areas include electrophysiology, organ perfusion and mechanical circulatory support, and aortic pathology.

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
P. Debeyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht
P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht

2026
- 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
- Heuts, S., de Keijzer, A. R., Adriaans, B. P., Notenboom, M. L., Mihl, C., Wildberger, J. E., Vos, R. J., Post, M. C., Rylski, B., Czerny, M., Reesink, K. D., Takkenberg, J. J. M., Veen, K. M., Arabkhani, B., Schalla, S. S., Schurgers, L. J., Lorusso, R., Hjortnaes, J., & Bidar, E. (2026). Rethinking Aortic Risk: The Potential Impact of Novel, Adjusted, and Combined Aortic Measures in the Prediction of Aortic Dissection. The Canadian journal of cardiology, 42(7), 1686-1696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2026.01.023
- Lotfalla, A., Heuts, S., Schreurs, R., Maessen, J. G., Schurgers, L., Korver, E., Verheule, S., Lorusso, R., Jacobs, M., & Bidar, E. (2026). A Comprehensive Total Body Perfusion Strategy vs Conventional Techniques in Elective Aortic Arch Surgery: A Comparative Analysis. Interdisciplinary CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, 41(6), Article ivag145. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivag145
- Govers, P. J., Kawczynski, M. J., Heuts, S., Veen, K. M., de Kerchove, L., Lansac, E., Demers, P., Verbrugghe, P., Rudez, I., Laubriet, A., Vojacek, J., Bidar, E., Takkenberg, J., Kluin, J., Arabkhani, B., & Aortic Valve Research Network Investigators (2026). Valve-sparing Aortic Root Replacement: Defining High-volume Centres Using Prospective Data. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 68(6), Article ezag177. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezag177
- Bova, R., Bastings, J., Betti, M., Snik, C., Heuts, S., Segers, P., Winkler, P. J. C., Vriesendorp, P. A., Bidar, E., ten Berg, J. M., Lux, A., van't Hof, A. W. J., & COMMIT LAD Investigators (2026). Design and Rationale of the COMMIT-LAD Registry: A Comprehensive Analysis of Medical and Invasive Treatment Strategies for Patients With Significant Left Anterior Descending Artery Disease (COMMIT-LAD). Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, 87(5), 357-363. https://doi.org/10.1097/FJC.0000000000001799
- van Susante, L., Ganushchak, Y., Bidar, E., & Sardari Nia, P. (2026). Self-Reported Quality of Life and 30-Day Mortality in Elective Cardiac Surgery. JACC: Advances, 5(5), Article 102768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102768
- Cerqueira, R. J., Mascarenhas, J. Q., Rodrigues, M., Miranda, J. O., Kawczynski, M. J., Vojacek, J., Arabkhani, B., Bidar, E., Leite-Moreira, A., Saraiva, F., & Heuts, S. (2026). Outcomes of Aortic Valve Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Using Reconstructed Individual Patient Data. Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, 21(2), 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1177/15569845261438464
- Marin-Cuartas, M., Kawczynski, M. J., de Waha, S., Kiefer, P., Falk, V., Siepe, M., Bowdish, M. E., Akowuah, E., Verbrugghe, P., Oosterlinck, W., Klautz, R. J. M., Lorusso, R., Bidar, E., Rahouma, M. M., Redfors, B., Biondi-Zoccai, G., Bhatt, D. L., Gaudino, M., Borger, M. A., & Heuts, S. (2026). Updated 5-year outcomes of transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis at low- to intermediate-surgical risk. Heart. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2025-327092
- Coveliers, J., Gasparotti, E., Vignali, E., Meani, P., Mazzoli, M., Kowalewski, M., Huizinga, E., Gutta, K., Piccirillo, G., Huberts, W., Moradi, H., Di Mauro, M., Holtackers, R. J., de Jong, M., Gelsomino, S., Paparella, D., Körver, E., Doddema, A., Kawczinski, M., ... Lorusso, R. (2026). Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Related Axillary Artery Cannulation and Aortic Hemodynamics: Insights From Computational Fluid Dynamics. ASAIO journal (American Society for Artificial Internal Organs : 1992). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/MAT.0000000000002617
- Verolino, G., Di Mauro, M., Czerny, M., Kawczynski, M., Heuts, S., Bidar, E., & Lorusso, R. (2026). Surgical Explant of Degenerated Transcatheter Valves: A New Type of Threat?Interdisciplinary CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, 41(2), Article ivag018. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivag018

Overview

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Elham Bidar

Associate professor