Shaare Zedek Medical Center performed a complex spinal surgery to save the life of a critically injured boy, according to a press release issued on Friday.
4 year old Omran was struck by a car driving at over 130 kilometers an hour and thrown 30 meters into the air while walking with his family on the side of the road in his village.
He was quickly taken to the nearest hospital in Jenin, but soon transferred to Shaare Zedek when it was determined he would require the intervention of an experienced team of trauma specialists due to a complex and rare fracture in his spinal column. The team included Dr. Harel Arzi, director of the hospital's Pediatric Spinal Cord Service.
Upon admission the team knew he had suffered a rare and complex injury, with only a minimal chance of recovery. Only a small number of cases have been recorded of an injury such as this in a small child.
“The complete separation of the cervical vertebrae with a distance of two centimeters between the sections represents an extremely rare injury for the patient to have even survived,” Dr. Arzi explains. “We consulted with a number of experts in Israel and abroad to devise a treatment plan. None of the experts had ever dealt with this exact type of injury and because it’s so rare, the specific equipment for treating a child of this size with such a condition doesn’t even exist.”
After consultation with leading international spine specialist, the procedure was underway.
“During the surgery, we were able to clearly see how the spinal cord itself had been severely damaged. The procedure itself went very well and we were then able to affix a halo-vest which secures the head in order to maintain the internal restructuring we had performed to address the injury. When I saw Omran move his hands, it was an extremely emotional moment,” Dr. Arzi recalled. “The chances of survival from such a devastating injury are very low, so to see such mobility was very encouraging. He has a long and challenge road ahead of him including extensive respiratory and occupational therapies. I’m very encouraged that we were able to save his upper extremities and hope that his condition will continue to improve.”
Omran’s father, Mohamed added, “I would never have believed we would be where we are today. My only prayer is that we will be able to take this experience day by day and that he should continue to fight. We are very grateful to the staff at Shaare Zedek who welcomed us with so much care and compassion and for performing the surgery which gave him back the ability to move and provides the great hope that he will continue to progress through the help of intensive rehabilitation.”