Cardiologist returns to Yale as new section chief

The Department of Pediatrics has named William E. Hellenbrand, M.D., a pioneer in the development of catheterization devices and techniques for the treatment of heart disease in children, as chief of the Section of Pediatric Cardiology.

With his new appointment, Hellenbrand rejoins the faculty of the School of Medicine, on which he served for 24 years.

Hellenbrand left Yale in 1999 to direct the catheterization lab at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, and became director of pediatric cardiology at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2007.

Hellenbrand has led numerous clinical trials and published extensively on his innovations in cardiac catheterization.

In addition to serving as chief of pediatric cardiology at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, Hellenbrand will be involved in a new statewide program in congenital heart surgery in collaboration with Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, and his medical degree from Downstate Medical Center of the State University of New York, Hellenbrand came to Yale, where he completed an internship and residency in pediatrics and a fellowship in pediatric cardiology. The last year of his residency was completed as a member of the United States Army at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.