Patient Care

CLINICAL SERVICES

Breast Surgery l Burn Care l Cardiothoracic Surgery l Colon and Rectal Surgery l General Surgery l Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) l Pediatric Surgery l Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery l Trauma/Surgical Critical Care l Upper Gastrointestinal and General Oncologic Surgery l Vascular Surgery

Overview

The physicians of Stony Brook Surgical Associates — the clinical practice of the Department of Surgery — provide comprehensive care for both adults and children with a wide variety of problems requiring surgery. In keeping with Stony Brook University Medical Center's mission of excellence in patient care, we offer specialized surgical services with several clinical programs and facilities unique in Suffolk County.

Our Cardiothoracic Surgery Service, established in 1980, performs about 500 open heart operations annually. Minimally invasive heart surgery is also performed. Our cardiac surgeons manage University Medical Center's Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, which is capable of providing postoperative care for the highest-risk heart patients. Our thoracic specialists treat a range of pulmonary diseases in adults and children, and do Suffolk's only lung volume reduction surgery for severe emphysema.

Our Vascular Surgery Service has developed a diagnostic program for the complete evaluation of patients with circulatory disorders, and operates on more than 600 patients each year. Our physicians have special expertise in surgery for prevention of stroke and prevention of leg amputation, management of aneurysms, and treatment of patients with venous problems. They also provide outpatient laser treatment of certain vascular disorders, and provide comprehensive wound care management at our multidisciplinary Wound Center. Our program in minimally invasive endovascular surgery offers a scope of diagnostic and treatment options which are unique in Suffolk County.

As the only designated Regional (Level I) Trauma Center in Suffolk, University Medical Center has an active Emergency Room to which our Trauma/Surgical Critical Care Service contributes its dedicated expertise. Using state-of-the-art resuscitative and surgical equipment, our trauma specialists provide the best possible emergency care, and they work closely with all the other specialists here at Stony Brook. Our critical care specialists manage University Medical Center's highly specialized Surgical Intensive Care Unit for critically ill adult patients. And our Burn Care Service is responsible for Suffolk's only Burn Center, a specially designed intensive care unit for both adults and children with major burns.

Our Pediatric Surgery Service specializes in providing surgical care for children, from premature infants to adolescents. Our pediatric surgeons have special expertise in performing minimally invasive operations that offer the benefits of smaller scars, reduced pain, earlier return to normal diet and activity, and shorter or no hospital stays. The inpatient facilities of this service include the only pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) on Suffolk County's north shore.

Responding to the special needs of women on Long Island, our Breast Surgery Service provides comprehensive multidisciplinary management of breast cancer and benign breast disease at our unique Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center. Reflecting our commitment to advancing the surgical treatment of breast cancer, we were the first on Long Island to offer the minimally invasive procedure called sentinel node biopsy.

Our Upper Gastrointestinal and General Oncologic Surgery Service provides comprehensive care for patients with cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and soft tissue. Innovative treatment protocols and participation in national clinical trials allow us to provide the latest therapeutic advances for the care of a wide range of cancers. This gives our patients the opportunity to benefit from developments previously unavailable in Suffolk County.

Our Colon and Rectal Surgery Service provides the most sophisticated care for patients with a wide range of diseases and disorders of the small bowel, colon, rectum, and anus, including cancer. Our physicians have expertise in the use of minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy) and other minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of colorectal diseases. Our state-of-the-art Anorectal Physiology Laboratory offers a valuable service for patients.

Our Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) Service provides a full range of specialized care for adults and children with disorders of the ear, nose, and throat, as well as the head and neck. Among other complex operations, this service performs the only cochlear implant surgery in Suffolk — a high-tech surgery for treating profound deafness. The latest minimally invasive procedures are also used, such as parathyroid gland removal and pituitary tumor removal.

Our Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Service offers a unique range of reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Our plastic surgeons use not only conventional surgical approaches, but also the latest microsurgical techniques which offer truly state-of-the-art care for patients with certain problems that, until recently, were virtually untreatable.

In addition to performing standard operations, our General Surgery Service specializes in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery for gastrointestinal disease. This new approach to surgery offers patients less pain and scarring, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery.

Together, our specialized clinical services contribute to the unique range and top quality of health care provided by Stony Brook University Medical Center.



Breast Surgery Service

Our multidisciplinary Breast Surgery Service is the first of its kind in Suffolk County. It offers a full range of care from initial evaluation and prompt diagnosis to complex treatment regimens. This service provides early detection and diagnosis; comprehensive management of breast cancer and benign breast disease; access to national research programs; reconstructive and plastic surgery; and patient education.

Our weekly Treatment Planning Conference is a multidisciplinary forum where we review potential treatment options for patients with newly diagnosed cancer or patients with recurrent disease. At this conference, their individual cases are presented to a team of highly trained cancer specialists, including radiologists, breast surgeons, pathologists, reconstructive surgeons, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists. Indeed, our multidisciplinary team approach to breast cancer treatment distinguishes the quality of care we provide for our patients.

At Stony Brook's Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center located in our Cancer Center, state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), mammography, and ultrasound equipment are used for routine screening and for early detection of breast cancer. The most modern techniques of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation oncology are available, as well as rehabilitative and support services, including support groups, designed to assist women who have had treatment for primary cancer of the breast. Reflecting our commitment to advancing the surgical treatment of breast cancer, we were the first on Long Island to offer the minimally invasive procedure called sentinel node biopsy.

In 2009, the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Care Center was granted a full three-year accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC). The NAPBC is a new program administered by the American College of Surgeons, and our breast center is the first in New York State to gain this elite designation.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Burn Care Service

Our Burn Care Service manages Stony Brook's Burn Center — the only one in Suffolk County. Its surgical and medical staff provide the most sophisticated care to both adults and children with major burns. The Burn Center is an eight-bed unit designed and equipped to meet the special needs of burn patients. In addition to initial assessment and ongoing intensive and surgical care, the Burn Center provides the physical and emotional supports that are an important part of the total rehabilitation of burn patients. Through its commitment to the local community, the Burn Center has gained the enthusiastic backing of Suffolk's volunteer firefighters, who created the Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center Fund to help support special clinical and research initiatives. One such initiative led to the creation of our living skin bank, which provides a unique clinical resource for wound dressings that benefit our patients.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Cardiothoracic Surgery Service

I'll be honest: I was thinking I should go to a smaller hospital, but I'm glad I didn't. I was very happy with everything at Stony Brook. My surgeon was confident and caring and very compassionate. The care I got was very good. I felt good after surgery, too. Now I would recommend Stony Brook for heart surgery.Our cardiothoracic team specializes in high-risk and tertiary care types of surgical intervention. Our surgeons provide consultation and surgical care for patients with advanced forms of heart, lung, and mediastinal disease. They perform surgery to treat all forms of adult heart disease, including high-risk states after acute myocardial infarctions and congestive heart failure; aneurysm surgery; thoracic vascular surgery; valve repair surgery; electrophysiological surgery, including the maze procedure for arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats); and minimally invasive heart surgery, including MIDCAB and OPCAB, the "off pump" coronary artery bypass procedures; minimally invasive robotically-assisted coronary bypass surgery; minimally invasive aortic valve replacement; and also endovascular thoracic aortic aneurysm repair, the new "internal bypass" stent procedure. Other new approaches to cardiac surgery, such as transmyocardial revascularization for ischemic heart disease, are also used. Our surgeons manage the Hospital's 10-bed Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, which is capable of providing postoperative care for the highest-risk heart patients. Our cardiothoracic team performs annually about 500 heart operations.

Our thoracic specialists treat a range of benign and malignant pulmonary diseases in both adults and children. They perform conventional operations as well as new minimally invasive procedures, such as videoscopic lung resection and radiofrequency ablation for lung cancer. Reflecting their commitment to utilizing the latest treatment advances, they perform Suffolk's only lung volume reduction surgery for severe emphysema.

Click here for the physicians on this service. See list of Cardiothoracic Procedures Performed at Stony Brook. For more information, visit the Heart Center website.


Colon and Rectal Surgery Service

Our colon and rectal surgeons are trained to provide the most sophisticated care for patients with a wide range of diseases and disorders of the small bowel, colon, rectum, and anus. These include colon, rectal, and anal cancer, diverticulitis, familial polyposis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, ileoanal reservoir (J-pouch), colon polyps, incontinence, prolapse, anorectal abscess, fistula, fissure, and hemorrhoids. Our physicians have expertise in the use of minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy) and other minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of colorectal diseases, including cancer. They are skilled at performing sphincter-sparing surgery in the treatment of rectal cancer, which spares patients the inconvenience and emotional burden of a colostomy bag. They are also committed to performing colon cancer screening, and perform colonoscopy, among other diagnostic tests. For the management of fecal incontinence, treatment options include the new Secca procedure, artificial anal sphincter, and muscle transplant. Our colon and rectal surgery service is supported by our state-of-the-art Anorectal Physiology Laboratory. This service also directs our fully approved residency training program in colon and rectal surgery.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


General Surgery Service

Our general surgeons treat a broad spectrum of problems requiring surgical intervention for treating gastrointestinal disease. In addition to performing conventional operations, they have special expertise in minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of gastrointestinal disease, and they staff our Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery. Laparoscopic surgery offers patients less pain and scarring, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery/return to normal activities; among the laparoscopic operations performed by our surgeons are anti-reflux surgery for chronic severe heartburn, myotomy for achalasia (treatment of severe swallowing difficulty), groin hernia repair, common bile duct exploration, colon surgery, appendectomy, gallbladder removal, and spleen removal.

This service also functions as a tertiary care referral center for hepatobiliary disease, pancreatic disease, and other complex cases including inflammatory bowel disease, major gastrointestinal bleeding, and cases requiring operation or re-operation upon the biliary tree. Reflecting University Medical Center's commitment to providing state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgery, our Surgical Endoscopy Lab reinforces the clinical excellence of our General Surgery Service.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) Service

Our ENT specialists provide a full range of care for both adults and children with disorders of the ear, nose, and throat. They have expertise in hearing and balance disorders, in acoustic neuroma and skullbase surgery, in laser therapy for problems of the voice and throat, and in nasal and functional endoscopic sinus surgery. They perform the only cochlear implant surgery in Suffolk County — a high-tech surgery for treating profound deafness. And they are members of Stony Brook's multidisciplinary team dedicated to treating cleft palate and other congenital facial abnormalities (Stony Brook Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Center). The new minimally invasive Pillar procedure is used for treatment of sleep apnea and snoring. Specialists on this service also provide treatment for head and neck disorders, including benign and malignant tumors, and employ the latest techniques in microvascular reconstruction. They perform surgery for thyroid and parathyroid disorders as well, including the latest minimally invasive surgery (both thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy). Other state-of-the-art operations they perform are minimally invasive removal of pituitary tumors and minimally invasive removal of salivary gland stones.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Pediatric Surgery Service

Dr. Thomas Lee with patient in arm.Our specially-trained pediatric surgeons provide a range of surgical care for newborn infants, children, and adolescents up to the age of 17 years. They treat both congenital and acquired diseases of the neck, chest, abdomen, and soft tissues. Among the operations they perform are repair of inguinal hernias in infants less than 1 year of age (as well as older children); repair of undescended testes in young infants; newborn surgery related to alimentary tract obstruction and lung, diaphragm, abdominal or neck abnormalities; surgery for infant or childhood tumors; and surgery for gastrointestinal disease. Both conventional "open" operations and many of the minimally invasive operations are performed. The inpatient facilities available to our Pediatric Surgery Service include the only pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) on Suffolk County's north shore. To ensure a good hospital experience for children and their families, we provide orientation tours and teach the children and their families about their operations, so that they feel comfortable about them. Our pediatric surgeons meet all the standards, to the highest degree, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, as defined in its 2005 Pediatric General Surgery Referral Guidelines.

Child Life Program.The Child Life Program at Stony Brook University Medical Center provides an online pre-surgical tour for children and their families. The purpose of the tour is to provide patients who are scheduled for surgery a chance to see and know what to expect. The website follows a 9-year-old girl named Jamie during her initial doctor's visit, getting ready to come to the hospital, during her preoperative preparation, into the operating room, onto the Pediatrics Inpatient Unit, and finally through discharge. The descriptive yet non-threatening narrative, accompanied by full-color pictures, offers a comprehensive virtual experience for what children and their family members will encounter when coming to Stony Brook University Medical Center. Further, the tour provides answers to many common questions that arise before surgery. For more information about how children can be appropriately prepared for surgery, or for any other questions relating to the services that the Child Life Program provides, please call 631-444-3840.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Service

Our plastic surgeons perform both reconstructive and cosmetic surgery. Among their specialties are cleft lip and cleft palate surgery; breast surgery, including breast reconstruction after cancer, breast reduction, and breast augmentation; nose surgery; treatment of facial fractures; hand surgery; reconstructive surgery for burn patients; and cosmetic surgery, including facelift, general liposuction, and tummy-tuck surgery. Non-surgical cosmetic treatments — such as Botox, Juvéderm, Radiesse, Restylane, and laser skin rejuvenation — are provided as well. Our plastic surgeons use not only conventional surgical approaches, but also the latest microsurgical techniques which offer truly state-of-the-art care for patients with certain problems that, until recently, were virtually untreatable.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Trauma/Surgical Critical Care Service

University Medical Center is the only designated Regional (Level I) Trauma Center in Suffolk County. Our trauma team coordinates the initial evaluation and treatment of all injured patients transported by ambulance or helicopter to the Shock Trauma Unit in our Emergency Room. Surgical faculty, together with closely supervised senior and junior general surgery residents, provide around-the-clock coverage of the Emergency Room. Our trauma surgeons specialize in trauma surgery; spine exposure; pelvic exposure; and diagnostic endoscopy. To provide the best possible emergency care, specialty consultation is available 24 hours a day in neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, orthopaedic surgery, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, and dental and maxillofacial surgery. The victims of major burns receive highly specialized emergency care in our Burn Center whose staff works closely with the trauma team.

Our surgical critical care team provides state-of-the-art advanced tertiary medical care to critically ill adult patients admitted to University Medical Center's 20-bed Surgical Intensive Care Unit. Our SICU offers ventilatory management using all modalities of respiratory support, including positive end-respiratory pressure, high-frequency ventilation, intermittent mandatory ventilation, pressure supported ventilation, and pressure controlled ventilation. It also offers cardiac monitoring and management, including vasoactive drips, invasive monitoring, and continuous oximetry. The SICU team manages the critical care of pre- and post-operative patients from all of the hospital's surgical services, except for the cardiovascular and pediatric services which have their own ICU's. Our critical care specialists are also available to provide consultation for all types of surgical patients, including general surgery, trauma, orthopedics, neurosurgery, vascular, and transplantation.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Upper Gastrointestinal and General Oncologic Surgery Service

Our surgical oncologists provide care for patients with cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, skin, and soft tissue. These specially-trained surgeons direct the preoperative evaluation, definitive operative treatment, and long-term postoperative care of patients. Using a fully integrated multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of cancer, they work closely with Stony Brook's radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and gynecological oncologists. Our participation in national clinical trials allows us to use the latest in therapeutic advances for the care of different cancers — and this gives our patients the only opportunity available in Suffolk County to benefit from such studies. As physicians of the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, we are committed to providing the most sophisticated, compassionate, and timely surgical oncology services. We are leaders in performing minimally invasive surgery for cancer, as well as in providing other innovative approaches to the treatment of cancer, such as heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) for advanced abdominal tumors.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Vascular Surgery Service

Our vascular surgeons — who established the University Vascular Center — provide specialized care for a wide variety of circulatory disorders. They perform reconstructive procedures for occlusive and aneurysmal diseases. They have special expertise in thoraco-abdominal surgery; surgery for stroke prevention (carotid endarterectomy and carotid stenting) and for the treatment of hypertension; lower extremity vascular reconstruction; and surgery for diabetic foot ulcers. Our surgeons have been selected to participate in national studies on stroke prevention, based on their excellent surgical results. Demonstrating our commitment to providing the latest advances in patient care, our program in minimally invasive endovascular surgery offers a scope of diagnostic and treatment options which are unique in Suffolk County.

At the new Stony Brook Vein Center (see brochure) in East Setauket, our vascular specialists provide treatment for acute deep vein thrombosis; chronic venous thrombosis; pelvic venous incompetence; varicose and spider veins; and venous ulcerations. Outpatient laser treatment of certain vascular disorders, such as varicose veins and telangiectasias (small spider-like veins), is provided there. For the evaluation and treatment of chronic leg and foot ulcers, our vascular surgeons provide comprehensive wound care management at our multidisciplinary Wound Center, also in East Setauket.

To provide the best possible patient care, our Vascular Surgery Service uses the Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory of University Medical Center. The Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory houses a wide variety of state-of-the-art equipment, including Duplex scanners and transcranial Doppler units, used not only as aids in the diagnosis of circulatory disorders, but also in the follow-up of a large number of outpatients. The Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory is complemented by an excellent special procedures division of the radiology department, which likewise has the latest in angiography equipment and CT scanners, at University Medical Center. The special procedures division provides service in all the techniques of interventional radiology, including balloon dilatation (angioplasty), invasive pressure monitoring and therapeutic embolization.

This service also directs our fully approved residency training program in vascular surgery, offering the new five-year pathway to becoming a vascular surgeon (only one of six institutions in the nation to offer it, as of 2007), plus the traditional two-year fellowship following an approved general surgery residency.

Click here for the physicians on this service.


Disclaimer RE: Online Medical Information