Surgery

General Surgery and Surgical Sub-specialties

 

When medical treatments fail or emergencies occur, NuHealth’s board-certified surgical staff at the Nassau University Medical Center is ready to intervene. Our attending surgeons practice in all of the major surgical disciplines and are highly experienced at emergency and trauma surgery, as well as both routine and complex non-emergent surgery. Whenever possible, we use minimally invasive (also called laparoscopic) surgical techniques.  Procedures are performed using small incisions and specialized surgical instruments to reduce the risks and recovery time associated with open surgery. NuHealth’s surgeons will work closely with your medical doctor or specialist and, most importantly, with you and your family to ensure you receive the best possible care. We will take time to fully explain all treatment options before we decide on your personalized treatment plan.

Above all, the members of the Department of Surgery at Nassau University Medical Center understand that surgery is a frightening experience for patients and loved ones alike. Our goal is to provide outstanding surgical treatment while ensuring the best possible patient experience.

NUMC is equipped with:

  • Twelve fully equipped operating suites
  • State-of-the-art anesthesiology and operating-room management.
  • Post-surgical care managed by NuHealth’s surgeons in conjunction with our hospitalists, who are specialized physicians whose sole responsibility is ensuring your care and safety during your stay at Nassau University Medical Center
  • Nassau County’s only hyperbaric chamber, a facility that plays a critical role in the treatment of non-healing wounds
  • An eleven-bed Surgical and Trauma Intensive Care Unit, run entirely by surgeons trained in Surgical Critical Care.
  • A six-bed Surgical Post-Acute Unit for our patients who require extra nursing care.

Our Mission Statement:

To train humane surgeons with excellent medical knowledge, expert technical skills and sound clinical judgment who are committed to life-long learning and research.

Our Vision Statement:

To be a center of excellence in patient care, surgical training and research.

 

Message from the Chair:

The Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) is a 400 bed tertiary care center which offers a complete range of surgical services and treatment options for the patients in our community.  Our cases range from the routine to the most complex of cases. We are a dedicated team of physicians with vast surgical and research experience and offer cutting edge technology in the management of the surgical patient. Our services include trauma/acute care general surgery, thoracic surgery, urologic surgery, bariatric and minimally invasive surgery, colon and rectal surgery, podiatry, vascular and endovascular surgery, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, Burns, breast surgery, hyperbaric medicine and orthopedic surgery.  In 1998, NUMC was the first institution on Long Island to establish an organized multidisciplinary program for the management of morbid obesity and we continue to service this population using modern minimally invasive techniques. We have introduced Robotic Surgery in our surgical armamentarium  and are now a Center of Excellence for Robotic Surgery.   We are also the only burn center in the region and offer not only a plastic surgery residency but a burn fellowship as well.  In 2016 we were designated by the American College of Surgeons Committee on trauma as a Level 1 trauma center. For 26 years prior to that, from 1990 to 2016, NUMC was a New York State certified level 1 trauma center.  We routinely see 1300-1500 cases per year of the most critically injured patients and our faculty is highly skilled in the management of traumatic injuries.  Although 80% of cases involve complex blunt trauma, a significant number involve penetrating injuries as well. The surgical services provided at NUMC are supported by a multi-place hyperbaric chamber for the management of complex wounds, carbon monoxide poisoning and other conditions requiring hyperbaric therapy. Our hyperbaric chamber has both multi-chamber and single-chamber capability. We are also proud of the cutting edge multidisciplinary care we provide for our elderly patients and we are committed to making significant contributions in the management of the elderly patient based on current research.

Education is at the core of our mission at NUMC and we have a strong commitment to prepare the next generation of surgical leaders.  Our General Surgery Residency Program has been accredited by the ACGME since 1969.  Our surgical residents receive a wide range of training in conventional operative surgery, minimally invasive surgery, endovascular surgery, robotic surgery  and clinical practice is supplemented by our simulation lab where residents enhance their skills in the latest surgical techniques.  Most have pursued fellowship training in various subspecialties that include vascular surgery, plastic surgery, trauma and critical care, cardiothoracic surgery, endocrine surgery, MIS, head and neck surgery, colon and rectal surgery as well as oncologic surgery.  We are proud of the graduates from our program who are now leaders in their field. We instill a culture of safety among our faculty and residents and maintain the highest standard of clinical performance where quality patient care is our top priority.

We look forward to hear from you whether you are a patient, prospective resident, medical student or referring physician.

L.D. George Angus MD, MPH, FACS

 

Department of Surgery Full-time Faculty:

L.D. George Angus MD, MPH, FACS
Chairman, Department of Surgery
Director of Trauma

 


Venkatesh Sasthakonar, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Vice Chairman, Department of Surgery
Director of Bariatric Surgery

 


Elizabeth Cirincione, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Surgical Residency Program Director
Director of Colon and Rectal Surgery

 


Edwin Gonzalez, MD, FACS

General and Breast Surgery Attending
Student Clerkship Director

 


A
nantha Ramanathan, MBBS, MS, FRCS, FRACS (Gen Surg), FRACS (Vascular), RPVI, FSVS
Director Vascular Surgery
Director Vascular Lab


Rachel Gordon, MD, FACS
General and Colorectal Surgery Attending

 

Tina Joseph, M.D.,

 

 

Mid-level Providers:

Gerald Augustin, R-PA, Bariatric Surgery

Anand Kumar, R-PA, General and Trauma Surgery

Jihane Saint-pierre, NP, General Surgery

 

Department Administrator:

Maureen Hutcheon, LMSW, MPA
Administrator, Surgery, Orthopedics and Anesthesia
Office- 516-572-6703

I have over 36 years of healthcare experience and have been with the Department of Surgery for five years.    The administrative role is multifaceted, but the most important aspect of my role is the patient experience.    We strive to provide the highest patient care standard and quality to ensure that your stay is a positive one.    We look forward to your feedback so we can continually identify areas of improvement in order to maintain our commitment to provide the best medical care possible.

I work closely with Dr. Lambros Angus, Chairman, Department of Surgery, to continually assess and recruit clinicians to cover all of the surgical subspecialties, including physicians, mid-level providers,  trauma program staff and office staff.   Nassau University Medical Center is a civil service employer and all hires within the department must be approved by the Nassau County Civil Service Commission.  You can apply on the website by going to nassaucivilservice.com.

We are proud of our surgical residency program and I work closely with Dr. Elizabeth Cirincione, Residency Program Director and Christine Barbou, Residency Administrator to ensure this program has the proper materials to provide a rich learning environment for our residents.    NUMC is an ACS verified Level I Trauma Center and we take pride in our ability to provide our residents with this unique in depth real time trauma experience.

 

Other Important Information (FAQ)

Facility/Medical Floors

The Department of Surgery is responsible for 50 clinical beds for patients on the Residency Teaching Services. These numbers are flexible, and may be increased as the need arises. There is a 12-suite operating area where more than 2,000 general surgical procedures are performed annually. In the same period, the hospital’s active Emergency Department handles more than 85,000 patient visits.

Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory

Non-invasive techniques for diagnosis and evaluation of peripheral vascular disease are performed in the Department’s Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory. This facility is supervised by the Chief of the Vascular Surgical Service, assisted by a full-time coordinator trained in the sophisticated instrumentation required for identification and assessment of arterial and venous lesions. Doppler, ultrasound, real-time B-mode scanning, plethysmographic and impedance equipment are available to provide accurate data regarding the site and extent of vascular derangements. Residents assigned to the Vascular Service gain proficiency in applying non-invasive methodology to aid patient selection for vascular reconstructive surgery, and to evaluate hemodynamic results.

Tumor Registry

The Hospital has a fully staffed, well-organized, computerized Tumor Registry for data input, follow-up retrieval, and analysis of cancer cases. Individuals with special interest in neoplastic diseases will find this the key to a balanced, comprehensive cancer program.

Trauma Registry

The Department has established a computerized registry for all major trauma patients seen at the Nassau University Medical Center. This will permit easy evaluation of the efficiency of our management of these patients, and aid in the preparation of clinical papers.