“I have been a Medical Doctor for over 25 years and am very passionate about delivering a personalised and balanced cardiac care to my patients.
I feel strongly that my patients’ wishes should be respected and their fears appreciated and allayed before my management can be considered a success.
I believe it is an honour and a privilege to serve my community to the absolute best of my ability.”
Dr F A (Larry) Ponnuthurai is the Deputy Director of the Cardiology Department at the Northern Hospital as well as being the head of the Interventional unit (Cardiac Cathlab) and Coronary Care Unit (CCU).
Larry completed his Specialist training in Cardiology at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. He has expertise in two cardiac subspecialties of interventional cardiology and echocardiology.
His first Fellowship in Cardiac imaging (echocardiography) was undertaken at the Monash Medical Centre and then the Austin Hospital in Melbourne. He then completed a second Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology at the prestigious John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, United Kingdom.
His research includes published articles in the fields of Interventional Cardiology, echocardiography and non-coronary intervention. Larry offers patients comprehensive cardiac care which includes experience and expertise in the following fields:
Interventional Cardiology (coronary artery blockages treated by balloons and stents)
Cardiac Imaging (echocardiograms and transoesophageal echocardiograms)
Heart failure (management of cardiomyopathy and valvular heart disease)
Cardiac Risk Assessment (ECG stress tests, Stress echo tests, CT coronary angiography)
Larry Ponnuthurai is an Echocardiology specialist
His role as Deputy Director of Cardiology includes the mentoring and education of Cardiology trainee doctors as well as Medical students from the University of Melbourne.
Larry is continuously in high demand to participate in General Practitioner education programs.
In 2019 he has been on the clinical review panel of senior Cardiologists for the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) to formulate guidelines for hospital-based outpatient care.
He is involved in both public and private practice and he consults at three areas in Melbourne
as a director of the Cardiologists at Epping Private Hospital and Specialist Centre (Epping)
as a director of the Melbourne Heart Institute (Moonee Ponds),
in the Victorian Heart Centre consulting suites at the Epworth Hospital (Richmond)
He performs coronary angiography and stenting by both the femoral (groin) and radial (wrist) access using all the latest techniques (intravascular ultrasound [IVUS], optical coherence tomography [OCT] and fractional flow reserve analysis [FFR] at the Northern Hospital and Privately at the Epworth Hospital Richmond.
Larry’s priority will always remain his patients. He is well known for his careful and meticulous approach to his cardiological procedures to achieve the optimal outcome and wellbeing for his patients. Patients invariably comment on his approachable manner and appreciate the time he takes to listen to their symptoms, concerns and fears.
Larry Ponnuthurai is an Interventional Cardiologist
He is a great communicator with clear and concise explanations about the patient’s cardiological problems and the potential treatment options available. These traits are admired by junior doctors and nursing staff and promote a healthy team environment which ultimately benefits his patients.
His wide experience which includes 2 major subspecialties in Cardiology has given him special insight to take on very complex patients. His astute clinical opinion and assessment is sought after by his own Cardiologist colleagues which Larry sees as a wonderful honour.
Larry Ponnuthurai is the Head of Interventional Cardiology (Cathlab) Northern Health
Qualifications
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB Royal College of Surgeons 1993)
Diploma of Diagnostic Ultrasound (DDU 2005)
Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP 2002)
Fellow of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (FCSANZ 2014)
Special interests
Chest pain / Angina / Heart attack
Cardiac risk assessment
Stress testing
CT coronary angiography
Coronary angiography and coronary stents
Valvular heart disease and shortness of breath
Echocardiography
Transoesophageal echo
Heart failure management
Cardiomyopathy management