Doctors Save IDF Soldier's Kidney in Dramatic Rescue

Doctors at Rambam Medical Center in Haifa successfully saved the kidney of an IDF soldier who sustained severe injuries during an operational accident in Lebanon. The soldier was evacuated by helicopter to Rambam's trauma unit after falling from a significant height and being impaled by a metal object. Upon arrival, doctors discovered a life-threatening blockage of the main renal artery, which had completely stopped blood flow to the kidney. "The kidney depends on blood supply like the brain," explained Dr. Igor Kogan, Director of the Interventional Imaging Unit. "Unlike other organs, besides a main artery, the kidney has no bypasses to nourish it. Artery blockage causes irreversible damage in a short time."

During a rapid intervention on a Friday, specialists Dr. Amos Ofer and Dr. Maria Dronov performed a minimally invasive catheterization. They precisely located and removed a blood clot, then inserted a stent to ensure the artery remained open and blood flow was restored. An ultrasound immediately after the procedure confirmed that blood flow to the kidney had returned to normal.

The soldier, who was treated under the supervision of Dr. Hani Bahous, Director of the Trauma Unit, was released home in stable condition several days later. Dr. Kogan noted that further follow-up is required to ensure full kidney function within several weeks. He emphasized that without the swift helicopter evacuation, accurate diagnosis, and rapid catheterization, the soldier would have lost his kidney that same day.