Doctors Save Soldier's Kidney After Combat Injury in Lebanon
Translated & summarized from Hamal by baba
Doctors at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa successfully saved the kidney of a soldier injured in Lebanon. The soldier suffered a critical blockage of a renal artery after a fall, which was treated with a clot removal and stent insertion. He was discharged in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery after further monitoring.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A soldier's kidney was saved by Rambam doctors after a severe combat injury in Lebanon.
- The soldier suffered a blockage of a major renal artery, cutting off blood supply.
- Minimally invasive procedures restored blood flow, preventing kidney loss.
- The soldier was evacuated by helicopter and discharged in stable condition.
- The incident highlights the importance of rapid medical intervention and advanced imaging techniques.
A soldier serving in Lebanon suffered a severe injury last week when he fell from a significant height, with a piece of metal penetrating his body and damaging his kidney. He was urgently evacuated by military helicopter to Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, where he was treated in the trauma unit by Dr. Hani Bakhos. A CT scan revealed a blockage in a major renal artery, cutting off blood supply to the kidney. Dr. Igor Kogan, director of the Minimally Invasive Imaging Unit, explained that kidneys, unlike other organs, lack sufficient alternative blood vessels, making them highly dependent on their main artery. A blockage can cause irreversible damage and kidney failure within a short time.
On Friday, specialists Dr. Amos Ofer and Dr. Maria Dronov from the Minimally Invasive Imaging Unit were on standby. Upon diagnosis, they immediately worked against time to restore blood flow. In a swift and successful procedure, they located and removed a blood clot from the artery and inserted a stent to ensure it remained open and blood flow was normalized. Subsequent ultrasound confirmed good blood flow to the kidney.
The soldier was discharged several days later in stable condition. Dr. Kogan noted that further monitoring is needed to confirm full kidney function within weeks. He emphasized that without the rapid helicopter evacuation from Lebanon, swift diagnosis, and the timely intervention by Drs. Ofer and Dronov, the soldier would have lost his kidney that same day. The Minimally Invasive Radiology Unit at Rambam utilizes advanced imaging techniques like ultrasound, CT, and X-ray fluoroscopy for minimally invasive treatments, including opening blocked vessels, stopping bleeding, and treating tumors, often through a small puncture and catheter insertion, avoiding open surgery. This procedure took place in Rambam's new catheterization room, which opened this week, joining two existing rooms.
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