Click here for more information about SBELIH's Surgical Services or to make an appointment.
For North Fork and Shelter Island residents, needing surgery can bring plenty of questions. Where will I go? Who will care for me? How far will my family have to travel? At Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital (SBELIH) in Greenport, a broad range of surgical services helps neighbors receive care close to home.
That local access combines experienced physicians, a dedicated surgical team, and investments in equipment, including new Stryker surgical towers that expand the hospital’s minimally invasive capabilities.
These procedures let surgeons operate through small incisions, via cameras and imaging to see inside the body. The hospital’s new 4K imaging technology provides detailed views to support that work. For appropriate patients, minimally invasive surgery can mean less scarring and a faster return home. The ELIH Foundation and community donors helped bring the technology to Greenport.
The hospital’s general surgery team includes George D. Keckeisen, MD, FACS, who specializes in general and vascular surgery; Sang I. Pak, MD, who specializes in general and minimally invasive general surgery; and Luke Swaszek, MD, a board-certified general surgeon with specialized training in minimally invasive surgery.
Together, their services address a variety of needs, including hernia repairs, gallbladder surgery, appendectomies, gastrointestinal procedures, and wound care.
Other specialists expand local care options. Judy Emanuele, MD, provides plastic and reconstructive surgery, including hand surgery, carpal tunnel procedures, and scar revision. Edna Kapenhas, MD, specializes in breast surgery. Podiatrists Michael Brody, DPM, and William F. Buffone, DPM, evaluate and treat foot and ankle conditions.
The hospital’s spine and neurosurgery program treats conditions including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease, coordinating care with neurosurgery, pain management, and neurology specialists as needed.
Care also depends on the people working alongside each physician: operating room nurses, nurse anesthetists, surgical technologists, and specialists in anesthesiology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, and urology.
Approximately 85 percent of surgeries at SBELIH take place in the Advanced Ambulatory Care Center. Before a procedure, staff help patients understand what to expect and give families opportunities to ask questions. Patients who need additional hospital care receive sustained monitoring and support.
For residents, these services reach beyond the operating room. Having care nearby can ease travel arrangements, simplify follow-up visits, and keep loved ones close during recovery—practical comforts when life takes a sudden turn and familiar surroundings matter most to patients and their families.