Dr Marios Tanos

CV

Dr. Marios Tanos, Senior Cardiothoracic Surgeon (Class A Medical Officer) at the Department of Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery of Nicosia General Hospital, was born in Famagusta and graduated from Laniteio High School in Limassol. He completed his medical degree at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

He began his specialty training in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the 1st University Surgical Clinic of AHEPA Hospital and completed his residency at “Evangelismos” General Hospital in Athens, where he received his specialty title in Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery in 2001. He subsequently pursued advanced training at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, focusing on adult and pediatric cardiac surgery as well as surgery for advanced heart failure.

Before and after his training in the United Kingdom, he worked as an attending cardiac surgeon at the Euroclinic of Athens and the Athens Medical Center. He also served for many years at the Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery Department of “Agia Sofia” Children’s Hospital, initially as a resident, later as a scientific associate, and subsequently as a salaried Consultant Surgeon.

Since 2009, Dr. Tanos has been a key member of the Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery Department at Nicosia General Hospital, the unit with the widest range and highest complexity of cardiothoracic cases in Cyprus. He has performed or participated in a large number of high- and intermediate-complexity procedures in patients aged 6 months to 86 years. His clinical activity covers the entire spectrum of cardiac and great vessel surgery (coronary artery disease, valvular disease, aortic pathology, high-risk redo procedures) as well as extensive thoracic surgery using both open and thoracoscopic techniques. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a decisive role in the thoracic surgical management of critically ill patients.

He is also actively involved in the training of surgical residents, medical students, and nursing students through his continuous presence in the ward, operating theatre, and clinical rounds, emphasizing the transfer of knowledge along with the cultivation of a compassionate, patient-centred approach.

Dr. Tanos has played an important role in the modernization and advancement of cardiothoracic surgical practice at Nicosia General Hospital. He contributed significantly to the adoption of contemporary myocardial protection techniques in open-heart surgery and to the establishment of arterial revascularization using bilateral internal mammary arteries and/or the radial artery, improving long-term surgical outcomes. He introduced and further developed video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) at the hospital, reducing invasiveness and enhancing postoperative recovery.

From 2017 to 2022, he had full responsibility for managing all thoracic surgery cases in the department. He continues to participate regularly and voluntarily in high-complexity emergency cases. As part of broader inter-hospital scientific collaboration, he maintains a stable and specialized partnership with Makarios Children’s Hospital, providing pediatric cardiothoracic surgical support. His overall contribution has been instrumental in upgrading the quality, effectiveness, and technological readiness of the clinic.

At an institutional level, Dr. Tanos plays an important role in shaping and advancing health policy in Cyprus. Since 2024, he has served as President of the Advisory Committee for Private Hospitals at the Ministry of Health and is a member of the ad-hoc committee revising the Private Hospitals Law. In 2023, he was elected the first President of the Cyprus Society of Thoracic, Cardiac & Great Vessels Surgeons and organized the “Techno College – New Technologies” scientific event in April 2024 at the Siakoleio training centre.

He is also a member of the Medical Boards and ad-hoc Committees of the National Health Insurance Organization (HIO/OAY) since 2023 and has served on the Cardiothoracic Surgery Advisory Council of the Ministry of Health since 2013. Since 2021, he has been the Patient Safety Coordinator of the clinic, and since 2019, he has served as its Data Protection Officer (DPO), ensuring compliance and ethical handling of sensitive medical information.

He is an active member of numerous scientific societies in Cyprus, Greece, and Europe. He has participated as a speaker, moderator, and presenter at national, European, and international conferences, showcasing the clinical work of his department and contributing to the dissemination of modern cardiothoracic practices. His scientific activity has been internationally recognized, leading to long-standing collaborations with leading cardiothoracic centres in Europe and the United States.