Kings County Hospital

The Kings County Hospital Center (KCHC) is the flagship facility of the Health and Hospitals Corporation in Brooklyn. With over 625 beds, it is the largest public hospital in Brooklyn, performing approximately 7000 surgical procedures annually. The department of surgery under the leadership of Dr Muthukumar Muthusamy, has developed a comprehensive team of surgical specialists that is unique to the public hospital system.

The mission of Department is to provide patient centered, compassionate care to the people of central Brooklyn regardless of one’s ability to pay.  Together we provide our patients with a complete spectrum of surgical care from innovative cancer treatments, to minimally invasive surgery.  We are united by a commitment to excellence and service that is rooted in our history.  Our goal is to bring cutting edge surgical research, innovation and care to the heart of Brooklyn.

The department currently has over 15 fulltime surgeons that support our 10 clinical divisions.

Trauma/Acute Care Surgery

The Kings County Hospital Trauma/Acute Care Surgery service evaluates over 250 injured patients monthly. The service oversees all acute and emergency general surgery cases as well, creating a very robust clinical service.

General Surgery

Six full time general surgeons comprise our general surgery service staff. Each attending has their particular area of clinical expertise, however they cross cover each other and provide care for all non-emergent general surgery.

Surgical Critical Care

The Kings County Hospital supports the largest public hospital surgical critical care unit in New York City. Our 20-bed intensive care unit houses patients from our trauma, general surgery and surgical subspecialty services. We are committed to treating the most critically ill patients to the best of our ability with compassion and diligence.

Minimally Invasive Surgery

The Division of Minimally Invasive surgery was established in 2005 to bring the advances of laparoscopic surgery to our patient population. Over the years we have become leading providers and advocates for laparoscopic surgery in public hospitals in New York City. Our specialists are at the forefront at providing Minimally Invasive treatments for a broad spectrum of surgical conditions including: hernia, cancers of the colon and stomach, gastrointestinal reflux, billiary disease, diseases of the spleen and adrenal gland as well as esophageal motility disorders.

Surgical Oncology

The Division of Surgical Oncology committed to providing cutting edge treatment for advanced cancer in a multidisciplinary setting. We provide comprehensive treatment for a wide range of cancers including: hepatobilliary, pancreatic, gastrointestinal, breast and solid organ malignancies as well as sarcomas.

Surgical Endoscopy

The Division of Surgical Endoscopy was recently established due to the increasing application of endoscopic techniques for reliable treatment of surgical conditions. As indications for the use of endoscopic techniques expands we are committed to remaining at the leading edge of this curve. Our surgeons have active endoscopic practices that include screening exams for gastrointestinal malignancies, endoscopic stenting for stricture and therapeutic treatments for bleeding and fistulas.

Pediatric Surgery

The Division of Pediatric Surgery provides care for the surgical conditions that affect the children of central Brooklyn. We work in close coordination with our pediatric house staff and specialists to care for the ill child and entire family.

Thoracic Surgery

The Division of Thoracic Surgery provides comprehensive care for diseases effecting the lungs, esophagus and chest. Our surgeons use endoscopic, laparoscopic, thoracoscopic and open techniques, often in combination, to provide the safest and most definitive surgical care.

Colon & Rectal Surgery

The Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery is a national leader in providing advanced colorectal surgery for patients in the public hospital system. Our staff treats the entire spectrum of colorectal disease from benign conditions such as fissure, hemorrhoids and pilonidal cysts to advanced colon, rectal and anal cancers

Breast Surgery

Breast disease is composed of a wide variety of both benign and malignant conditions all of which are cared for by our Division of Breast Surgery with compassion and understanding. Our multidisciplinary team includes dedicated breast radiologists, oncologists, gynecologists and radiation oncologists.

Vascular Surgery

The Vascular Surgery Service treats the wide spectrum of pathology that affects human blood vessels. Our surgeons are supported by the most advanced endovascular equipment and facilities in the public hospital system. They use both endovascular and open techniques, often in combination, to tackle the most complex problems of the vascular system.

Our History

The Kings County Hospital was created in 1831 to establish “publically supported care for the sick”. Since it’s inception treatment of surgical conditions has been the cornerstone of the hospital’s commitment to comprehensive community health.

Throughout the 19th century conditions related to infectious diseases plagued the local community. The young hospital was continuously over run with patients suffering from bilious disease, typhoid fever and malaria. Many of these diseases were complicated by conditions that necessitated surgical care such as abscess drainage, wound debridement and amputation. Many of these procedures were performed by physicians at the overcrowded hospital, often in non-sterile conditions without anesthesia.

By the start of the 20th century the surgical community had adopted sterile technique and began to use general anesthesia thus expanding the scope of what was considered a surgical condition. In the early part of the century surgery for the squeale of tuberculosis dominated surgical practice at the County.

By mid-century Kings County Hospital had grown to become one of the largest in the entire country with over 3,000 hospital beds, offering a wide range of surgical operations to the public thanks to refinements in anesthesia and development of surgical sub-specialty services. ;

In 1957 Kings County also established the first Level One Trauma Center in New York State, which was one of the only dedicated trauma services in the entire country. Over the years the Division of Trauma has developed in to a worldwide leader in trauma care. Advances such as the non-operative management of solid organ injuries were all pioneered at Kings County Hospital.