Children's Health

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Adds Internationally Renowned Physician

Joseph Vettukattil, MD, Expands Expertise of Pediatric Cardiac Program

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital continues the expansion of its pediatric cardiac program with the appointment of interventional pediatric cardiologist Joseph Vettukattil, MD as division chief, pediatric cardiology, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

Vettukattil is known internationally for his work and research with three- and four-dimensional echocardiography. Most notably, Vettukattil developed the advanced technique of multiplanar reformatting in echocardiography, a method used to reconstruct whole organs in a virtual environment. Commonly used with other diagnostic technologies, such as CTs, Vettukattil pioneered its use in echocardiography to evaluate complex heart defects.

“With the appointment of Dr. Vettukattil, we are able to offer our patients access to one of the best minds within the field of interventional cardiology,” said Robert Connors, MD, president, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
Prior to joining Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Vettukattil was a consulting congenital cardiologist and lead interventional cardiologist with the University Hospital of Southampton, United Kingdom. While there, he also served as department head and clinical lead for cardiology research and three-dimensional echocardiography.

Vettukattil will be working with congenital heart surgeon, Marcus Haw, MD, division chief, pediatric cardiovascular surgery, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Vettukattil and Haw worked together for 15 years at the University Hospital of Southampton.

“Together, Dr. Haw and I designed and developed techniques to help children through specialized procedures and surgeries. This transformed the care management approach for children with complex heart defects and had even greater effects in the quality of life for the children,” said Vettukattil.

As an interventional cardiologist, Vettukattil specializes in procedures that can be done in the heart with minimal invasion using the most advanced interventional catheterization techniques, enhanced with clear anatomical information derived from three- and four- dimensional echocardiography.

“Advanced three-dimensional imaging techniques provide accurate definition of heart defects, which is extremely useful in determining the most appropriate course of treatment. It is also useful later in surgery as it allows physicians to study, compare and re-evaluate their findings virtually, without affecting the heart tissue,” said Vettukattil.

Vettukattil completed his medical education and post-graduate studies in pediatrics at St. John’s Medical College in Bangalore, India. He completed residency programs at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research in Pondicherry, India, and at St. Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey, England. After his residency in pediatric cardiology at the Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Institute, London, England, and at the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, University Hospital of Southampton, Vettukattil was awarded the first certificate of training in pediatric cardiology in the UK.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of nine hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; 130 ambulatory and service sites; 975 advanced practice providers and employed physicians including members of the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart physician groups; and Priority Health, a health plan. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with 19,200 employees. The organization provided $204 million in community benefit during its 2012 fiscal year.