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A two and a half year old child from Hebron, who suffers from Apert's Syndrome,
successfully underwent complex surgery in the Neurology Department of the Safra
Children's Hospital at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.
Apert's Syndrome is a relatively uncommon congenital syndrome that involves premature
closing of cranial suture lines resulting in a peaked shaped head and abnormal
facial appearance. It occurs with a frequency of one in approximately 160,000
live births. The cranium does not develop to normal size, and the brain cannot
develop. There is a 50-60% chance of inheriting this condition from a parent.
Surgery is used to correct skull and facial abnormalities.
At a relatively young age, the child from Hebron underwent surgery at a hospital
in Ramallah, resulting in a dramatic skull deformation. The child was admitted
to the Safra Children's Hospital, where she underwent complex surgery performed
in two stages. The first stage of the surgery reconstructed the posterior area
of the cranium and was performed two months ago. The second stage, performed recently,
reconstructed the anterior part of the cranium, including the eye orbits. Reconstruction
of the eye orbits insures that in the future the child will not go blind.
The team of experts that performed the surgery included Dr. Zeev Feldman, the
Director of the Safra Children's Hospital Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit, and Dr.
David Mendes, a plastic surgeon.
Dr. Feldman said: "This child from Hebron is only one of many children from
the West Bank and Gaza that are admitted and treated at Sheba Medical Center.
In a time of growing violence and bloodshed on both sides, this kind of humanitarian
cooperation allows for a small measure of optimism and a glimmer of hope for a
time of peace between our two peoples."
The Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital at Sheba Medical Center houses
the pediatric units of Sheba. Its mission is to care for the sickest children
with the most complex medical conditions, using state-of-the-art technologies
and compassionate care. Safra has created disease-oriented multi-disciplinary
teams to cater to the special needs of each child.
The pediatric division has 8000 inpatient admissions and 60,000 visits to specialist
ambulatory services and the emergency room each year. Our children come from all
backgrounds and from all parts of the country as well as the West Bank and Gaza.
Lauri Novick, Executive Director, Friends of Sheba - Tel
Hashomer: New York
1+212-586-4034 or lnovick@shebamedical.org
Jack Saltzberg, Executive Director, Friends of Sheba: Los Angeles
1+310-843-0100 or shebamedical@earthlink.net
In Israel: Ulrike Haen at Sheba Medical Center
+972-3-530-2473 or ulrike.haen@sheba.health.gov.il
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