Surgery without scalpels and scars? It’s not science fiction in Israel
Removal of tumors and severely affected organs by effecting small punctures, surgery without incisions, full recovery after major surgery within only a few days, the use of robotics… Not so long ago one could only dream that these were possible, yet, Israel of today, offers these procedures and far beyond, as part of the daily medical routine in Israeli hospitals.
Nowadays, with the latest developments, Israeli doctors can perform surgical procedures with minimal intrusion thus improving the recovery rates. Frequently and successfully Israeli hospitals use the least invasive laparoscopic methods that allow access to the procedure area, while minimizing contact with the adjacent organs and tissues. This method is highly effective and enables to achieve the required result with minimum discomfort for the patient.
The outstanding experience in the field of various cancer treatments has made the Israeli oncological system well known abroad. As evidence to the effectiveness of these treatments is the fact that Israel has the lowest mortality rate of cancer to which the high level of surgery contributes without doubt. The surgical procedures as well as the postoperative treatments are administered and monitored by the highest qualified specialists.
In Israel, patients from around the world benefit from the most advanced surgical options available. Surgeons in Israel have vast experience, perform and apply the results of the most recent researches and use innovative techniques in all areas of surgical procedures. They have successfully completed uncountable specialized surgeries that include microsurgery, robotic surgery, laser surgery using the most breaking through and innovative noninvasive medical techniques and protocols.
Israel is a leader and stands at the forefront of all surgical interventions. The innovations improve the quality and outcome of the surgical procedures while reducing procedural costs in fields including urogynecology, urology , general laparoscopic surgery, cardio-, neuro-, spinal-, plastic and transplantation surgery posing Israel among one of the best in the world in these fields.
In Israel, medicine is of top priority and the government invests a very large amount of its annual budget to develop research and new methods and techniques of treatment and to improve the existing ones. This policy has been fruitful: the achievements of the Israeli surgery are numerous and make a significant contribution to medicine all over the world. Their effectiveness is confirmed by the fact that many of the methods innovated in Israel are adopted by other developed countries and that the field of medical tourism in Israel constantly and significantly grows and expands.
Major Trends in Israeli surgery
Surgical methods are being used for the treatment of all organs and body parts therefore there are a large number of sub-specialties aimed to provide the most adequate and qualified answer to each medical condition.
Israel excels in all the following specialties and sub-specialties:
Special care is accorded to pediatric surgery where special technologies and equipment are being used together with a significant financial investment for the professionalization together and training of doctors and personnel. The above mentioned sub-specialties for adults apply in pediatric surgery as well.
Surgery at the Hadassah University Medical Center – Clinical and Operative Activity:
The Department of General Surgery at Hadassah University Medical Center at Ein Kerem treats patients in need of emergency or elective surgery. The department is one of the leading surgical departments both in Israel and abroad assuming an active role in teaching and training surgical residents and preparing them to be the next generation of leading surgeons.
The Department of General Surgery performs a wide array of operations. Those procedures range from the removal of malignant tumors in the colon, breast, esophagus, abdomen, and other areas to bariatric procedures, IBDs, rectal prolapse surgery, gallbladder surgery, pancreatic surgery, liver surgery, thyroid surgeries, pituitary gland surgeries, appendectomies, splenectomies, and surgeries to remove hemorrhoids, fissures and bowel obstruction. The Department of General Surgery is active in the following areas:
• Trauma;
• Colorectal surgery;
• Laparoscopic surgery;
• Gastrointestinal surgery;
• Anorectal surgery;
• Oncological surgery;
• Bariatric surgery;
• Hepatobiliary surgery.
The Department of General Surgery has also established a number of centers and units which specialize in specific procedures, such as the Center for Peritoneal Cavity Tumors. This center treats patients with a multidisciplinary treatment method, which includes both a resection procedure and the administration of Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC). This combined treatment has significantly improved the chances of survival for patients suffering from this complex disease.
The department also performs a wide range of laparoscopic procedures standing at the forefront of innovative treatment methods in laparoscopic surgery – the department’s surgeons have performed dozens of laparoscopic procedures with only a single abdominal incision. This innovative technique is the first of its kind Israel and one of the world’s leading methods. Another innovative surgical method used in the department is called NOTES (Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery). This method allows surgeons to perform surgery without creating a single incision in the patient, but instead uses the patient’s natural orifices, such as the mouth or vagina.
This method is only used in a small number of medical centers in the US. This novel approach uses laparoscopic technique to perform a surgerical procedure through a single small incision. This method is unlike a standard laparoscopic surgery performed through 3-5 incisions and offers less an invasive operation than a standard laparoscopic procedure and thereby reduces post-operative pain, incision related complications, enables excellent cosmetic results and faster recovery.
The Department of General Surgery also performs robot-assisted surgery, a new, innovative surgical method. This technology was developed by NASA, and assists the surgeon in achieving optimal results. Hadassah is the only center in Israel which uses the Da Vinci robot to assist with surgery.
The department performs a number of different surgeries on the colon and rectum, including complex procedures to reconstruct the anal sphincter and the pelvic floor and the fistula between the rectum and vagina, procedures to remove malignant tumors in the colon and rectum and complex procedures to treat inflammatory bowel diseases.
The department also performs organ transplants.
Hadassah University Hospital at Ein Kerem has 9 autonomous surgical departments, which together comprise almost 300 beds, and 75 physicians on staff. Each department is independently run by its own head, but all are linked under the Chief of Surgery for training, research and administration. In 1986, the Ministry of Health designated Hadassah Hospital as the country’s Human Heart Transplant Center.
Surgical Departments:
• General Surgery (2 divisions);
• Orthopedic Surgery;
• Cardiothoracic Surgery;
• Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery;
• Vascular Surgery;
• Plastic & Maxillofacial Surgery;
• Urological Surgery;
• Neurosurgery;
• Pediatric Surgery.
