Sheba Team Creates 3D Model Skull to Help Restore Vision of Injured IDF Officer
Doctors across different departments worked together with the 3D Center to prepare for surgery using a 3D-printed skull.
Impressive teamwork between departments at the Sheba Medical Center led to the creation of a 3D model of a skull and a successful surgery, all aimed at treating an IDF officer severely injured in the Gaza war.
Paratrooper officer Omri Rosenblit was injured while commanding his team during an operation in Khan Yunis. "The whole building collapsed on us. At first, my soldiers were sure I was dead," he recounted, "Somehow I woke up, raised my hand, and the guys understood I was alive." Omri was admitted to Sheba with severe multisystem trauma, including a major fracture to his jawbone and eye socket floor. These injuries not only affected Omri's face but also his sight, leading to double vision.
The Sheba team quickly united to help the young paratrooper officer. In an extraordinary collaborative effort, experts from the Eye Institute, the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and the 3D Center in the PlanNet surgical network worked together to create a treatment plan. Limor Haviv, a technology manager at the 3D Center in the operating rooms division, designed a 3D model of Omri's skull by creating a mirror image of his unbroken side. The 3D-printed model helped doctors accurately position the zygoma or fractured cheekbone. "This design made sure the eye on the injured side was at the same height as the other, preventing double vision," Limor said.
"The 3D model greatly enhanced our surgery preparation," explained Dr. Eilat Prial, a senior physician at the Eye Institute. "We’re operating with our heads, hands, and our hearts. There’s just something in our patients that inspires us to go above and beyond."
The surgery was successful and Omri progressed to the next stage – rehabilitation. "From our very first meeting, Omri was focused on moving forward and making progress," said Dr. Tal Yoffe, deputy director of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He has a remarkably strong spirit which is evident in his approach to rehabilitation.”
