Complex Apert's Surgery for Palestinian Infant

Complex Surgery was Performed on a Two and a Half Year Old Palestinian Child at the Safra Children's Hospital, the Sheba Medical Center

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 the Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.

Apert's Syndrome is a congenital syndrome that involves multiple defects, some related to early closure of the cranial sutures. As a result, the cranium does not develop to normal size, and the brain cannot develop normally.

At a relatively young age this child underwent surgery at a hospital in Ramallah, resulting in dramatic skull deformation. The child was admitted to the Safra Children's Hospital, where she underwent complex surgery, performed in two stages. During the first stage of the surgery, performed two months ago, the posterior area of the cranium was reconstructed.

During the second stage, performed a few days ago, the anterior part of the cranium, including the eye orbits, was reconstructed. 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 the 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."