A pioneering breast surgery technique developed by a plastic surgeon in Paris, France, is now transforming care at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam), marking a new era in breast reconstruction in Israel.
(L-R): Dr. Fares Salameh, senior physician in Rambam's General Surgery Section, Dr. Aviad Hoffman, Dr. Benjamin Sarfati, and Professor Assaf Zeltzer. Photography: Rambam HCC
Recently, Dr. Benjamin Sarfati, a world-renowned specialist in aesthetic, plastic, and reconstructive surgery at the Gustave Roussy Institute in Paris—a leading cancer center—visited Rambam as the guest of Professor Assaf Zeltzer, Director of Rambam’s Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Director of Aesthetic Medicine, and Dr. Aviad Hoffman, Director of the Breast Health Institute.
While at Rambam he performed an advanced minimally invasive endoscopic technique he developed for nipple-sparing breast resection (mastectomy) and reconstruction.
By working through tiny incisions with specialized imaging and instruments, surgeons achieve maximal precision while minimizing visible scarring and producing excellent aesthetic results. For women carrying the BRCA gene mutation, who may require a risk-reducing mastectomy, this technique represents a significant advancement.
In June 2024, prior to his visit to Rambam, Sarfati trained a Rambam surgical team in Paris to perform this procedure, which the hospital has since adopted as a standard of care. While at Rambam, he worked alongside the same team to perform the advanced procedure on a woman in her fifties who required a mastectomy with simultaneous breast reconstruction.
“I am proud to host Dr. Sarfati,” said Professor Zelzter. “He is the pioneer of this advanced surgical method for breast resection and reconstruction—a technique that demands exceptional skill and true teamwork.”
