Syrian Baby of Refugee Family Returns to Cyprus after Heart Surgery at Israel's Sheba Medical Center

RAMAT GAN, Israel, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A 6-month-old Syrian refugee has returned to Cyprus after recovering from major heart surgery at Israel's Sheba Medical Center in late October. Just days after the surgery, doctors said he was wide awake, smiling and crying like any other baby. The life-saving procedure was performed by Dr. David Mishaly, Director of Sheba's Department of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiothoracic Surgery at Sheba Medical Center.

Mishaly is the world's foremost authority in treating congenital heart defects in children, having invented a revolutionary surgical technique that yields 99% healing rates and 100% aesthetic satisfaction in patients.

"There is no question that without this operation, this little boy would have died. The surgery was very complex, but we are hopeful with some additional surgery in a few years, he will live a normal life," said Mishaly.

The young child – whose name is being withheld for security reasons – is the youngest member of a refugee family who fled from Aleppo to Cyprus to escape the Syrian civil war. The child has received treatment previously at Sheba for his serious heart issues.

The father of the baby, who stayed at Sheba, was extremely happy with the treatment. The family received help and support from other Jewish and Palestinian parents who were at Sheba seeking treatments for their own children.

Due to the highly complicated nature of the heart defect, Cyrpus authorities reached out to the renowned medical experts at Sheba directly, as it was the only chance the child would have at survival. Arrangements were immediately made to bring the sick baby to Israel. This is all part of Sheba Medical Center's mission to provide cutting edge medical care to all those in need across the globe.

About Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer
Born together with Israel in 1948, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer is the largest and most comprehensive medical center in the Middle East. Sheba is the only medical center in Israel that combines an acute care hospital and a rehabilitation hospital on one campus, and it is at the forefront of medical treatments, patient care, research and education. As a university teaching hospital affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel-Aviv University, it welcomes people from all over the world indiscriminately. To learn more, visit: eng.sheba.co.il

SOURCE Sheba Medical Center