In a race against time, doctors in the Interventional Radiology Unit at Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam) saved a soldier’s kidney after an operational accident in Lebanon cut off its blood supply.
Yair*, an IDF soldier serving in Lebanon, recently fell from a considerable height and landed on a piece of metal that penetrated his body.
A military helicopter rushed him to Rambam for emergency treatment. Yair was initially treated in the Shock Trauma Room by Dr. Hany Bahouth, Director of the hospital's trauma services. A CT scan revealed a blockage in the main renal artery. With no blood reaching the kidney—the team had little time to act.
The kidneys sit just below the rib cage. Together, they filter about half a cup of blood every minute, eliminating waste and excess water to produce urine.
“Kidney function depends on a substantial, continuous blood supply via the renal artery,” explains Dr. Igor Kogan, director of Rambam’s Interventional Radiology Unit. “A blockage can cause irreversible damage, resulting in permanent loss of function in the affected kidney within a short time.”
Dr. Amos Ofer and Dr. Maria Dronov, specialists in the Unit, were on call when Yair was admitted. Once the CT scan revealed the blockage, they raced to restore blood flow. Using a thin catheter and image guidance, the physicians quickly located and removed the clot, then placed a stent, a small mesh tube, in the artery to keep it open and maintain blood flow.
After the procedure, an ultrasound confirmed normal blood flow to the affected kidney. A few days later, Yair was discharged in stable condition.
“We will monitor Yair’s kidney function over the next few weeks to determine whether it has fully recovered,” explains Dr. Kogan, “but there is no doubt that without the combination of rapid evacuation from Lebanon, prompt diagnosis, and swift action by Dr. Ofer and Dr. Dronov, he would have lost his kidney that very day.”
At Rambam’s Interventional Radiology Unit, physicians use imaging techniques, including ultrasound, CT, and fluoroscopy, to guide minimally invasive procedures. This approach allowed Yair to be treated without open surgery.
These procedures can be used to open blocked blood vessels, stop bleeding, take tissue samples, and treat tumors by blocking their blood supply or applying targeted heat. These techniques help them deliver precise treatment while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue.
*Name changed to protect the patient's identity
