Israel’s medical professionals successfully completed the first of three heart surgeries needed for a Syrian baby with a heart defect; The baby and his father arrived in Israel from Cyprus last week; Dr. Serraf: If everything goes according to plan, the child can have a normal lifestyle.
In what is truly a special scenario, a Syrian newborn with a heart defect was flown into Israel last week to obtain emergency heart surgery at the renown Sheba Medical Center. In a positive update, the baby survived the first of three needed surgeries and the doctors remain optimistic regarding the baby’s future. The 10-day-old child’s father was able to make the trip as well.
The baby and his father, Syrian refugees, arrived from Cyprus last week to begin the surgical process. The defect that the child is battling essentially renders the left side of the heart ineffective, which leads to poor circulation. The baby’s first surgery was successfully completed on Sunday. Another surgery will be needed in approximately six months, and the third is to take place at the age of two.
Dr. Alain Serraf of the Sheba Medical Center gave an update on the baby stating, “We will be watching him carefully over the next two days. But I can say that the procedure went well and we are guardedly optimistic that the child will be okay as we slowly wean him off the various machines.” He would go on to address the reality that the first procedure is typically the most difficult.
Concluding his positive update, Serraf stated, “If everything goes according to plan, the child can have a normal lifestyle.”
The father of the boy was quick to display his confidence in the Israeli medical professionals, stating, “I feel much more relieved and have complete faith in Sheba’s medical staff for all of the help they are giving my child.”
After the child recovers from this initial surgery, he and his father can return to Cyprus.
