Maastricht University Medical Centre
Adult Cardiac
Member Since: 2021
Biography:
Fellowship at the University of Leuven (Belgium) and Maastricht (Netherlands)
PhD (1998) at the Maastricht University on surgical alternatives to heart transplantation in dilated cardiomyopathy
European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Young Investigator?s Award in 1995 and Lillehei Award in 1998
Scientific Secretary of the Italian Society of Cardiac Surgery (2007-2009)
Director of the EACTS School from 2007 to 2012
Master of 2nd Degree (Scuola Superiore S. Anna, Pisa, Italy) on Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
Founder and Chairman of the EACTS Junior Membership and Committee
Editor-in-Chief of the EACTS MultiMedia Manual of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (since 2016)
Associate Editor of Artificial Organs, Journal of Cardiac Surgery, European Heart Journal Case Report;
Associate Professor (2016-2018), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
Full Professor of Cardiac Surgery and Extracorporeal Life Support, Maastricht University (from 2019), Maastricht, the Netherlands
Deputy Director and Head of Service of the Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Department of the Maastricht University Medical Centre
Founder (2011) and Past-President (2015-2017) of EuroELSO
Honorary Secretary of EuroELSO (from 2023)
Past-Member of the ELSO Executive Board
Chair of the ELSO Research Committee (from 2023)
Chair-Elect of the Cardiovascular Surgery Working Group of the European Society of Cardiology (2024-2026)
Fellow of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (FELSO) (from 2018) for the leadership and support for the improvement of cardio-respiratory support research and clinical settings
Guest Editor for the 5th and 6th Red Book Editions, Guest Editor for the ELSO Specialist Manual
Senior Editor for the ELSO Monograph on Post-Cardiotomy ECLS in Adult Patients
Task Force Chairman for the EACTS/ELSO/STS/AATS Expert Consensus documents on Post-Cardiotomy ECLS in Adults
Task Force Chairman for the EACTS/ELSO/STS/AATS) Expert Consensus Statement on Protected Cardiac Surgery in Adults (in preparation)
Task Force Chairman of the ESC/EACTS Expert Consensus Statement on the Diagnosis and Management of Part 2 Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Mechanical Complications
Task Force member of other EACTS and ESC Guideline documents
Authors of more than 1,100 publications, including abstract and original papers (more than 700 in PubMed)
More than 4.500 cardiac surgery operations as first operator and more than 6.000 operation as first assistants
Areas of interest are mechanical circulatory support, acute cardiac failure and arrest, valve and coronary surgery, education and training, pre-clinical and clinical research, biomedical device innovation, multidisciplinary research, music, photography, history of medicine (particularly of cardiovascular medicine and surgery) and Leonardo da Vinci.
2023 AATS Foundation Lawrence H. Cohn Lecture, Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio.
2024 Lynne Van Praag Lecture, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
Journal of American College of Cardiology Consultant for Advanced Heart failure (from 2024)
What Does the AATS Mean to You:
A prestigeous organization, with so many respectful and outstanding members, with the longest tradition of science, education and training new surgeons
My First Experience with AATS:
Los Angeles, 1992 - Amazing congress with so many "giants" presenting seminal talks and data.
Why I became an AATS member:
To be part of a distinguished and outstanding scientific society
The most impactful presentation I have seen at an AATS meeting:
Bruce Lytle about his incomparable experience in cardiac reoperations
The first presentation I gave is:
Surgical procedures for chronic dilated cardiomyopathy - 1992
The first paper I had published is:
"Dynamic cardiomyoplasty as an effective therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy" - Journal of Cardiac Surgery 1993;8:177-183 (Part of my PhD research pathway).
I plan on becoming more involved in the organization through:
I have been always looking at AATS as a significant advancement and achievement in my clinical and scientific career. I had the privilege to have some American colleagues proposing to me to be my supporters.....a real honor for me.
A significant case/patient interaction that impacted my career is:
I saw a 16-year-old boy suffering from cardiac arrest occurring during a trans-coronary sinus percutaneous catheter ablation for a WPW syndrome. All operating rooms were busy, and the boy could not be supported, in 1996, with a circulatory support and eventually died from refractory cardiac arrest. I told myself "no more" and since then, I have been dealing with the engagement in temporary mechanical circulatory support and involved in the promotion and development of portable, miniaturized ECMO systems and related devices to enhance the management of such cases and others."
My career in CT Surgery was inspired by:
The first heart transplantation, being a kid, and from then on I have been always convinced to become a cardiac surgeon
A significant case/patient interaction that impacted my career is:
I saw a 16-year-old boy suffering from cardiac arrest occurring during a trans-coronary sinus percutaneous catheter ablation for a WPW syndrome. All operating rooms were busy, and the boy could not be supported, in 1996, with a circulatory support and eventually died from refractory cardiac arrest. I told myself "no more" and since then, I have been dealing with the engagement in temporary mechanical circulatory support and involved in the promotion and development of portable, miniaturized ECMO systems and related devices to enhance the management of such cases and others.
The biggest impact my mentor had on my career is:
Dedication, being curious and investigating uncertain aspects of our profession, and collaborate with many colleagues.
The topic most important to advancing the field of CT Surgery is:
Not only one, but a merging of enhanced imaging, minimally invasive surgery, improved peri-operative management of high-risk patient and technological advancement.
The most pressing issues impacting CT surgery are:
Timely and better management of high-risk patients who are increasing
Advice for Trainees:
Entertain this work with passion, curiosity, motivation, and dedication. It is the most wonderful job we could be involved in. If possible, be involved in research, to apply curiosity and address unsolved questions or suboptimal as well as unsatisfactory patient cures.