Haredi Educator’s Broken Collarbone Leads to Life-Saving Discovery of Surgical Gauze in Abdomen

A remarkable story published in Gershon Kalatzkin’s weekly column in the newspaper 'B’Kehila' recounts how a Haredi educator named Moshe survived a potentially fatal medical oversight. Moshe suffered a serious fall at a water park in the Galilee, resulting in a broken collarbone and hospitalization at Poriya Medical Center. During his treatment, doctors discovered a suspicious mass in his abdomen, initially feared to be a malignant tumor.

Scheduled for surgery on the eve of Tisha B’Av, Moshe underwent the operation despite the solemn date, following the guidance of Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein. The medical team planned to remove half of his intestines and begin chemotherapy. However, after 74 tense minutes in surgery, the doctors found no tumor. Instead, they discovered an abscess caused by a surgical gauze left inside Moshe’s abdomen from a stomach reduction surgery nine years earlier.

The gauze had caused tissue to form around it, mimicking a malignant growth on imaging scans. This foreign object had gone unnoticed for nearly a decade without causing symptoms until the recent infection began developing. The infection could have led to severe complications or death if left untreated. Moshe’s broken collarbone and subsequent scans inadvertently saved his life by uncovering this hidden danger.

The hospital staff expressed relief and joy at the unexpected outcome. Moshe was discharged healthy, with doctors emphasizing that without the injury and thorough examination, the infection might have become life-threatening. Moshe reflects on the incident as a near-miraculous event, grateful that his injury led to the discovery and removal of the dangerous gauze.

Summary: Moshe, a Haredi educator, broke his collarbone in a water park accident, which led to medical scans revealing a surgical gauze left inside his abdomen from a previous operation. Scheduled for tumor removal surgery, doctors instead found and removed the gauze, preventing a potentially fatal infection.

Points: - Moshe broke his collarbone in a water park accident, leading to hospitalization. - Scans revealed a suspicious abdominal mass initially thought to be cancerous. - Surgery uncovered a surgical gauze left inside from a prior operation nine years earlier. - The gauze caused an abscess mimicking a malignant tumor on imaging. - The infection could have been fatal if not discovered and treated. - Moshe was discharged healthy, with doctors crediting the injury for saving his life.

Topic: health israel_relevant: true Entities: {"people":["Moshe","Gershon Kalatzkin","Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein"],"organizations":["Poriya Medical Center"],"places":["Galilee","Israel"]}