Peyman Sardari Nia

Assistant Professor

Dr Peyman Sardari Nia is a Senior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Maastricht UMC+, where he specialises in minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery. Dr Sardari Nia earned his MD and his PhD from University Antwerp, Belgium, and underwent residency training in general surgery in the same city. Dr Sardari Nia was awarded the Pfizer educational prize in 2009: this prize is bestowed by the University of Antwerp on one young specialist for excellence in clinical, scientific, and surgical qualities during his or her whole residency across all the surgical specialties. Following his residency in general surgery, Dr Sardari Nia underwent a fellowship training in cardiothoracic surgery at St Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.

Dr Sardari Nia’s PhD research focussed on prognostic factors of lung metastases and non-small cell lung cancer, particularly how tumor growth patterns can inform post-surgical outcomes. He has received multiple awards for his research, notably the American Association of Cancer Research scholar-in-training award and European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) Young Investigator award. His current research is focussed on preoperative planning by use of 3D imaging reconstruction, 3D printing, simulation, and intraoperative navigation. He received the EACTS Techno-College Innovation Award for his invention of the high-fidelity endoscopic mitral valve surgery simulator.

Dr Sardari Nia is an all-around cardiothoracic surgeon with special interest in surgery for lung cancer and minimally invasive adult cardiac surgery, especially endoscopic mitral valve repair and VATS lobectomy. In addition to introducing and innovating minimally invasive approaches at his home institution, he is the founder and director of the EACTS courses in minimally invasive techniques for adult cardiac surgery and endoscopic mitral valve repair, using the high-fidelity simulator that he developed. He has been an EACTS councilor and a member of various EACTS committees since 2008. He is an associate editor of European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EJCTS) and a member of EACTS, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the International Society for the Study of Lung Cancer.

The following projects have been developed as multi-disciplinary projects:
1. Development of hybrid-simulator for minimal invasive mitral valve surgery.
Real-time feed-backed simulator for endoscopic placement or reparation of Mitral valve with following characteristics:
• A physical model made, based on real anatomic characteristics of MIMVS, anatomic consideration of incision, different ports, video camera and the heart.
• Anatomic model of mitral valve annulus, leaflets and the papillary muscle
• Real-time simulator with electronic feed-back for placement of the stitches on the mitral annulus whereby the students get electronic feedback whether the stitches are correctly placed. The simulator proto-type was developed in 2013 and industrial type in 2014. Additional to this, an air-pilot training like-course with developed simulators was initiated in 2015 and 17 courses have been organised so far.
2. Pre-operative planning for minimal invasive cardiothoracic surgery. In this project, a 3D reconstruction based on available imaging is created pre-operatively. The surgical technique is than planned according to individual anatomic variations.
3. Personalised medicine concept: development and implementation of new tools and concepts to facilitate transfer of cardiothoracic surgery from craftsmanship to smart surgery. The concept of personalised medicine is characterised by three pillars: focussing on whole process of care (from pre-treatment, treatment to post-treatment) rather than the treatment, working with dedicated teams throughout the process and application of preoperative planning tools (3D reconstructions, 3D printing, simulation and navigation) to enhance the reproducibility, efficacy and safety.

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Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht
T: +31(0)43-387 70 95 / +31(0)43-387 51 06

  • 2020
    • Sardari Nia, P., Heuts, S., Daemen, J. H. T., Olsthoorn, J. R., Chitwood, W. R., & Maessen, J. G. (2020). The EACTS simulation-based training course for endoscopic mitral valve repair: an air-pilot training concept in action. Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, 30(5), 691-698. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivz323
    • Olsthoorn, J. R., Heuts, S., Maessen, J. G., & Sardari Nia, P. (2020). Reply to Kim and Choi. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 57(2), 409. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezz154
  • 2019
    • Heuts, S., al Khoury, F., & Sardari Nia, P. (2019). Lighthearted: Pneumopericardium after mitral valve repair. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 158(5), E169-E170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2018.08.105
    • Sardari Nia, P., Daemen, J. H. T., & Maessen, J. G. (2019). Development of a high-fidelity minimally invasive mitral valve surgery simulator. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 157(4), 1567-1574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2018.09.014
    • Heuts, S., Olsthoorn, J. R., Hermans, S. M. M., Streukens, S. A. F., Vainer, J., Cheriex, E. C., Segers, P., Maessen, J. G., & Sardari Nia, P. (2019). Multidisciplinary decision-making in mitral valve disease: the mitral valve heart team. Netherlands Heart Journal, 27(4), 176-184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-019-1238-1
    • Daemen, J. H. T., Heuts, S., Olsthoorn, J. R., Maessen, J. G., & Sardari Nia, P. (2019). Mitral valve modelling and three-dimensional printing for planning and simulation of mitral valve repair. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 55(3), 543-551. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezy306
    • Olsthoorn, J. R., Heuts, S., Streukens, S. A. F., Hermans, S. M. M., Maessen, J. G., & Sardari Nia, P. (2019). Unexpected prolapse of the anterior leaflet during saline testing in mitral valve repair. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 55(3), 552-558. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezy317
    • Sardari Nia, P., Olsthoorn, J. R., Heuts, S., & Maessen, J. G. (2019). Interactive 3D Reconstruction of Pulmonary Anatomy for Preoperative Planning, Virtual Simulation, and Intraoperative Guiding in Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Lung Surgery. Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, 14(1), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1177/1556984519826321
    • Heuts, S., Kawczynski, M., Olsthoorn, J. R., & Sardari Nia, P. (2019). Late rupture of transapically beating heart implanted neochords. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 157(2), E27-E29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2018.07.106
  • 2018
    • van der Wall, S. J., Olsthoorn, J. R., Heuts, S., Klautz, R. J. M., Tomsic, A., Jansen, E. K., Vonk, A. B. A., Sardari Nia, P., Klok, F. A., & Huisman, M. V. (2018). Antithrombotic therapy after mitral valve repair: VKA or aspirin?Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis, 46(4), 473-481. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-018-1724-0
    • van der Wall, S. J., Olsthoorn, J. R., Heuts, S., Klautz, R. J. M., Tomsic, A., Jansen, E. K., Vonk, A. B. A., Sardari Nia, P., Klok, F. A., & Huisman, M. V. (2018). Correction to: Antithrombotic therapy after mitral valve repair: VKA or aspirin?Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis, 46(4), 482-482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11239-018-1735-x
    • Adriaans, B. P., Heuts, S., Gerretsen, S., Cheriex, E. C., Vos, R., Natour, E., Maessen, J. G., Sardari Nia, P., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., & Schalla, S. (2018). Aortic elongation part I: the normal aortic ageing process. Heart, 104(21), 1772-1777. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2017-312866
    • Heuts, S., Adriaans, B. P., Gerretsen, S., Natour, E., Vos, R., Cheriex, E. C., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., Maessen, J. G., Schalla, S., & Sardari Nia, P. (2018). Aortic elongation part II: the risk of acute type A aortic dissection. Heart, 104(21), 1778-1782. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2017-312867
    • Daemen, J. H. T., Heuts, S., Olsthoorn, J. R., Maessen, J., & Sardari Nia, P. (2018). Right minithoracotomy versus median sternotomy for reoperative mitral valve surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 54(5), 817-825. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezy173
    • Heuts, S., Daemen, J. H. T., Streukens, S. A. F., Olsthoorn, J. R., Vainer, J., Cheriex, E. C., Maessen, J. G., & Sardari Nia, P. (2018). Preoperative Planning of Transapical Beating Heart Mitral Valve Repair for Safe Adaptation in Clinical Practice. Innovations: Technology and Techniques in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, 13(3), 200-206. https://doi.org/10.1097/IMI.0000000000000506
  • 2017
    • Ranjbar, S., Sardari Nia, P., Karvandi, M., & Maessen, J. (2017). Computational fluid dynamics in aortic arch pathophysiology. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 51(2), 398-398. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezw286
    • Sardari Nia, P., Heuts, S., Daemen, J., Luyten, P., Vainer, J., Hoorntje, J., Cheriex, E., & Maessen, J. (2017). Preoperative planning with three-dimensional reconstruction of patient's anatomy, rapid prototyping and simulation for endoscopic mitral valve repair. Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, 24(2), 163-168. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivw308
  • 2016
    • Hossien, A., Gelsomino, S., Mochtar, B., Sardari Nia, P., Kats, S., & Maessen, J. (2016). Value of Multidimensional Modeling in Planning Surgery for a Dissecting Ventricular Septal Hematoma Following Aortic Valve Sparing Root Reimplantation. Journal of Cardiac Surgery, 31(6), 390-393. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocs.12757
    • Heuts, S., Maessen, J. G., & Sardari Nia, P. (2016). Preoperative planning of left-sided valve surgery with 3D computed tomography reconstruction models: sternotomy or a minimally invasive approach?Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, 22(5), 587-593. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivv408
  • 2015
    • Hossien, A., Gelsomino, S., Mochtar, B., Maessen, J. G., & Sardari Nia, P. (2015). Novel multi-dimensional modelling for surgical planning of acute aortic dissection type A based on computed tomography scan. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 48(5), e95-e101. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezv299
    • Hossien, A., Nithiarasu, P., Cheriex, E., Maessen, J., Sardari Nia, P., & Ashraf, S. (2015). A multidimensional dynamic quantification tool for the mitral valve. Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, 21(4), 481-487. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivv187
    • Bentala, M., Heuts, S., Vos, R., Maessen, J., Scohy, T. V., Gerritse, B. M., & Sardari Nia, P. (2015). Comparing the endo-aortic balloon and the external aortic clamp in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. Interactive Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, 21(3), 359-365. https://doi.org/10.1093/icvts/ivv160
    • Driessen, R., Sardari Nia, P., Roekaerts, P., & Delnoij, T. (2015). Cardiac rupture with giant left ventricular pseudoaneurysm following inferior wall myocardial infarction: A rare complication. Acute cardiac care, 17(2), 33. https://doi.org/10.3109/17482941.2015.1066825
  • 2014