The Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Rambam Health Care Campus has recently started using ultrasound as an effective tool in the diagnosis of jaw infections in children. The new approach is helping to reduce surgeries and unnecessary pain and suffering among Rambam’s youngest patients.
The Philips Lumify handheld device being used in the Cheryl Spencer Pediatric Emergency Department in Ruth Rappaport Children's Hospital at Rambam. Photography courtesy of Rambam HCC.
Over the past several weeks, the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, under the leadership of Professor Adi Rachmiel has begun using an innovative Philips ultrasound device to evaluate jaw infections in children at Rambam’s Ruth Rappaport Children’s Hospital. Normally, children diagnosed with serious infections must immediately undergo a complex surgical procedure, with all of its subsequent pain and discomfort.
“Using this safe, effective device, it is possible to distinguish between a fully developed infection that requires rapid surgical intervention under general anesthesia, and early-stage infection, which can be treated solely with medication,” explains Dr. Omri Emodi, Deputy Director of Rambam’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. “The use of ultrasound is wide-spread for many purposes, but somewhat less common in these types of cases. Nevertheless, based on our experience over the last few weeks, we are finding this approach to be effective and extremely helpful in helping to avoid unnecessary surgery and reducing discomfort in our young patients.”
According to Dr. Hannah Frid, a resident in Rambam’s Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the ability to link the ultrasound device with the cell phone of the physician on call provides real-time results, avoids unnecessary use of operating rooms, and facilitates more informed decision making. “This diagnostic treatment is better for the patient and for the medical team caring for the patient—when we are talking about young children, this is even more significant.”
