Last night (Sunday) after Hezbollah’s devastating UAV strike on an IDF base in Binyamina, an IDF soldier was transferred to Sheba hospital with shrapnel injuries to his neck, including a hole in the carotid artery.
Dr. David Orion, head of the Invasive Neurology and Stroke Unit at Sheba, described the situation as "dangerous," explaining that blood could burst into the neck tissues, forming a hematoma. This puts the patient at risk of rapid deterioration due to continued bleeding or potential artery blockage leading to brain damage.
The standard treatment for such injuries involves inserting a stent—a mesh cylinder that seals the artery wall and closes the tear. However, stents can cause blood clots, necessitating the use of blood thinners before the procedure. Previously, these were administered orally and they took around 40 minutes to take effect.
But Cangrelor, an intravenous blood thinner that allows for immediate catheterization, saved this soldier’s life. Dr. Orion, along with clinical pharmacist Tamar Zeisler, had recently submitted a request to approve the drug's use in brain-related treatments.
After receiving Cangrelor in combination with aspirin, the soldier underwent immediate catheterization performed by Dr. Orion and Dr. Gal Yaniv, head of the Brain Catheterization Unit at Sheba.
The procedure was successful, with Dr. Orion reporting, "The patient already feels completely fine today. The bleeding has stopped and the artery is intact."
Dr. Orion noted that since the beginning of the current conflict, there has been an increase in shrapnel injuries to the head requiring urgent catheterization, as well as brain events needing immediate stents. Being able to use this drug signifies a real advancement in the hospital's ability to respond quickly and effectively to such critical situations.
Israel Hayom contributed to this article.
