Doctor Herbert Vetter

About the Doctor

Membership

• German Society for Thoracic, Cardiac and Vascular Surgery

• European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)

• German Society for General Surgery

• German Society for Cardiology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kardiologie)

• German Heart Foundation (Advisory Board Member)

• Medical-Scientific Society Wuppertal

• International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery

• International Association for Cardiac Biological Implants

• Concerted Action for Heart Assist and Replacement Systems (European Community)

• CTS-Network

• Rotary Club

Experience

• May 1983 – Dec 1983 · Resident, Cardiac Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Munich (Prof. Klinner)

• Jan 1984 – Dec 1984 · Resident (William R. Hearst Fellowship), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York (Prof. Frater)

• Feb 1985 – Jan 1986 · Registrar, Groote Schuur Hospital & Red Cross Children's Hospital, Cape Town (Prof. Reichart)

• Feb 1986 – Mar 1987 · Resident, German Heart Center Berlin (Prof. Hetzer)

• Apr 1987 – Mar 1990 · Resident, General Surgery, St. Gertrauden Hospital, Berlin (Prof. Fey) → Specialist in General Surgery 1990

• Apr 1990 – Feb 1995 · Senior Resident, Cardiac Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Munich → Specialist in Cardiothoracic Surgery 1995

• 1995 – 1997 · Senior Consultant, Herzklinik am Augustinum / Grosshadern, Munich

• 1998 – Sep 2018 · Director, Dept. of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Helios Heart Center, University of Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal (20 years)

• 2007 – 2018 · Head of Advisory Board, 6 major Heart Centers, HELIOS Private Hospital Group

• 2018 – Apr 2022 · Head, Dept. of Cardiac Surgery, CardioCliniC, University of Cologne

• May 2023 – Dec 2025 · Chief of Cardiac & Vascular Surgery, Schoen Klinik Vogtareuth, Bavaria

• Since Jan 2026 · Senior Medical Strategy & Business Development Advisor

Publications

• 1978–1981: Experimental aortic stenosis in growing dog model — studies on hypertrophy, myocardial blood flow and metabolism (Univ. Heidelberg, Prof. Mittmann)

• 1984: First experimental use of expanded PTFE suture (GoreTex) for chordae tendineae replacement — mitral valve repair (Albert Einstein College, Prof. Frater)

• 1985: Basic research on adenosine as cardioplegic substance (Cardiovascular Research Lab, Cape Town, Prof. Opie)

• 1990–1994: Experimental transplantation of mitral valve homografts in sheep — in vitro & in vivo (Univ. Munich, Albert Einstein College, Georgia Tech)

• Worldwide first implantation of the wearable Novacor LVAS in a human patient (1993)

• Prospective clinical study on Sorin-Bicarbon mechanical heart valve (Principal Investigator)

• Clinical studies on blood cardioplegia with continuous myocardial oxygen pressure measurement

• Clinical studies on heparin-coated circuits in neonatal cardiac surgery

• FDA clinical study: Mira Heart Valve Prosthesis

• Multicenter studies: PRIMO I, PRIMO II, Elisa

• Since 1998: Expert witness for malpractice cases (Ärztekammer Westfalen-Lippe, Bayerische Landesärztekammer, Nordrhein, Sozialgericht München)

• • 2012–2018: Listed in Focus magazine Top Cardiac Surgeons in Germany

Education

• 1976–1982 · MD — Medicine, Universities of Heidelberg and Munich

• 1982 · MD Thesis (Promotion): 'Contractility of the hypertrophied left ventricle after aortic stenosis in dogs', University of Heidelberg

• 1995 · PhD Thesis (Habilitation): 'Transplantation of mitral valve homografts in sheep', University of Munich

• 1996–1997 · Privatdozent, University of Munich (LMU)

• Since 1997 · Teaching, Medical Faculty, University of Munich

• Since 1998 · Teaching, Medical Faculty, University of Witten/Herdecke

• Since 2002 · Professor of Cardiac Surgery, University of Witten/Herdecke

• 2000–2018 · Elected Member of Faculty Council & Chairman of Professorship Assessment Council, Univ. of Witten/Herdecke

Expertise

Certificates

• Specialist in General Surgery (1990)

• Specialist in Cardiothoracic & Cardiovascular Surgery (1995)

• Professorship, University of Witten/Herdecke (2002)

• March 2026 · MEBEKO License (Switzerland) — Surgery & Cardiothoracic Surgery

Services

• Cardiac Surgery (all major procedures)

• Mitral Valve Reconstruction & Transplantation

• Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation

• Heart Valve Surgery

• Stem Cell Therapy

• Medical Strategy & Business Development Advisory

• Hospital / Heart Center Coaching & Leadership

• Expert Witness (Medical Malpractice)