ICU doctors

Surgical Intensive Care Unit

If you or a loved one is recuperating from vascular, orthopedic, urologic, gynecology-obstetrics, thoracic, transplant, or general surgery, you may spend time in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The 14-bed unit is a closed ICU, meaning it is overseen by a specialist known as an intensivist. We are staffed by full-time critical care doctors. We offer care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each year, we see more than 800 patients. We are located in the Guggenheim Pavilion.

Our doctors are all trained in critical care. They are supported by critical care fellows, surgical and anesthesia residents, and advanced care providers. In addition, more than 70 critical care registered nurses provide bedside care. We offer extensive personal attention.

We also work with staff from other services, including:

  • Respiratory therapy
  • Pharmacy
  • Nutrition
  • Rehabilitation  
  • Chaplaincy
  • Case management
  • Palliative care

Evidence-Based Care

We strive to provide you and your loved ones with careful attention. We use evidence-based care, incorporating the latest research findings. We offer:

  • Rapid weaning pathways to help patients safely wean themselves from ventilators
  • Daily social work and palliative care rounds to understand your needs and provide support and information to you and your loved ones
  • Regular physical therapy and occupational therapy to help you regain your strength and mobility
  • Nutritionists to work with patients who need feeding tubes
  • Bedside percutaneous tracheostomy services for patients who are on ventilators long-term
  • Continuous veno-venous hemofiltration therapy for those who cannot tolerate regular dialysis

Critical Care Research

The Surgical ICU is involved with research to improve patient care. We participate in clinical trials exploring medications and drug-delivery approaches, biomedical devices, and new diagnostic techniques. Your safety is always top of mind.

Critical Care Education

The Surgical ICU is also involved in training the next generation of health care providers. Critical care fellows at The Mount Sinai Hospital do a rotation in the Surgical ICU. The fellowship is one of the oldest and largest critical care fellowships in the world. We have been training leaders, researchers, and clinical intensivists for more than four decades. The ICU also helps teach medical residents, medical students, and advanced care providers.

Specialized Surgical ICU Services

We offer specialized services to improve the quality of our care. These include:

  • Central Venous Access Service (CVAS): This service has its own suite within the Surgical ICU. It provides specialized venous catheter insertion. This includes:
    • Triple lumen catheter
    • Hemodialysis catheters
    • Peripheral inserted central catheters for patients receiving specialized infusion therapy
    • Renal replacement therapies
    • Parenteral nutrition support

The suite has ultrasound and fluoroscopy capabilities to ensure safe and sterile placement of these catheters. Staff includes critical care physicians, fellows in training, and CVAS nurses. We provide services to patients throughout the hospital.

  • Nutritional Support Team: This team focuses on parenteral nutrition. It is active 365 days a year. It initiates, modulates, and weans our ICU patients. Staff includes critical care physicians, fellows in training, nutritionists, and total parenteral nutrition pharmacists.

Awards and Recognition

The Surgical ICU has received awards for excellence, including:

  • Beacon Silver Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses
  • The DAISY Award from the DAISY Foundation

Meet Our Team

Our administration team is: