Menu

Latest news & events

Fellowships EmbRACE consortium

Fellowships EmbRACE consortium

21 May 2026

The EmbRACE consortium, coordinated by CARIM, has awarded three fellowships, including two to CARIM researchers.

Read more
NWO grant for project 'Laminomics'

NWO grant for project 'Laminomics'

21 May 2026

Tim van de Wiel, Dr Magdalena Harakalova, and Dr Rogier Veltrop (Dept of Biochemistry) have been awarded an NWO grant for large-scale high-performance computing time.

Read more
More newsMore events
Carim Maastricht
Carim Maastricht

Sam Heuts

Sam studied medicine at Maastricht University, after which he pursued a PhD at the department of Cardiothoracic Surgery in preoperative planning of surgical procedures.  He gained a special interest in coronary surgery, imaging, and periprocedural myocardial injury. In line of this work, he received a Dekker grant (Dutch Heart Foundation, Clinical Scientist) in 2023.

Sam is the principal investigator of the PRIMARY trial (Dekker grant, Dutch Heart Foundation), evaluating the extent and impact of periprocedural myocardial injury. Also, together with colleagues, he developed a new method for the evaluation of the association between surgical volume and clinical outcomes, and he takes a special interest in Bayesian statistical inference.

Carim sam heuts dscf5393 kopie final

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

  • 2026
    • Kawczynski, M. J., Barili, F., Brophy, J. M., De Caterina, R., Biondi Zoccai, G., Anselmi, A., Boden, W. E., Parolari, A., Heuts, S., & NTEGRITTY initiative (2026). Revascularisation strategies for non-acute myocardial ischaemic syndromes. Heart, 112(10), 530-538. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2025-326101
    • Van Cauteren, Y. J. M., Heuts, S., Bijvoet, G. P., Wildberger, J. E., Vernooy, K., Kim, R. J., Heitner, J. F., Klem, I., Beijnink, C. W. H., Nijveldt, R., Heijman, J., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., Smulders, M. W., & Mihl, C. (2026). Diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value of CMR in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome: a meta-analysis. European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 27(4), 621-628. Article jeaf356. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jeaf356
    • Slegers, D. P. J., Bova, R., Heuts, S. F. M., Betti, M., Theunissen, R., Veenstra, L., Vainer, J., Ilhan, M., Ijsselmuiden, A. J. J., Rasoul, S., Vriesendorp, P. A., Van't Hof, A. W. J., Lux, A., & South Limburg Interventional Cardiology Group (2026). Diffuse coronary artery disease leads to deferral of both surgical and percutaneous coronary artery revascularisation. International Journal of Cardiology, 445, Article 134049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2025.134049
    • Welman, M. J. M., Theunissen, R. A. L. J., Wolfs, N. S. A., Streukens, S. A. F., Jaarsma, C., Tjeerdsma, G., Hoebers, L. P., Luyten, P., Vainer, J., Segers, P., Sardari Nia, P., Heuts, S., Van't Hof, A. W. J., & Vriesendorp, P. A. (2026). Rationale and Design of the SMILE Registry: A Comprehensive Approach to Predicting Treatment Outcomes in Mitral Regurgitation. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 15(4), Article 1495. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15041495
    • 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
    • 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
    • Coveliers, J., Meani, P., Kowalewski, M., Huizinga, E., Gutta, K., Piccirillo, G., Gasparotti, E., Vignali, E., Mazzoli, M., Huberts, W., Moradi, H., Di Mauro, M., Holtackers, R. J., de Jong, M., Gelsomino, S., Paparella, D., Celi, S., Haxhiademi, D., Körver, E., ... Lorusso, R. (2026). Subclavian or axillary artery cannulation for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A systematic review. JTCVS open, 29, Article 101562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xjon.2025.101562
    • Swinnen, B., Gollman-Tepeköylü, C., & Heuts, S. (2026). Beyond biomarkers: the relevance of supporting evidence in the diagnosis of periprocedural myocardial infarction. European heart journal - Quality of care & clinical outcomes, 12(1), 119. Article qcaf111. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjqcco/qcaf111
    • Heuts, S., Baudo, M., Oosterlinck, W., Torregrossa, G., Segers, P., Jacobs, S., Di Bacco, L., Repossini, A., Benussi, S., & Rosati, F. (2026). Risk-Adjusted Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Multicentre Experience. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 68(1), Article ezag043. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezag043
    • 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
Overview