In a rare and groundbreaking case, 72-year-old Jacqueline underwent a life-saving heart procedure unlike anything ever done in Israel before, and one of only a few in the entire world.
Jacqueline had been living with a serious health condition caused by a large blood clot she suffered in her youth. Over time, it completely blocked the veins in the lower half of her body. Despite multiple surgeries, valve replacements, and even a pacemaker, she continued to struggle, especially with a serious leak in one of her heart valves.
When traditional treatment options were no longer possible — doctors couldn’t even reach her heart through the usual vein routes in her legs due to the blockage — she spent over a year and a half searching for answers.
That’s when she met Dr. David Mirkin at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. He and Dr. Adam Farkash, an expert in imaging blood vessels, came up with a bold and creative solution: enter the heart through the liver.
This approach, which had only been attempted a handful of times worldwide, had never been done in Israel before.
“Because of her unique condition, we couldn’t go through the leg like we normally do,” explained Dr. Mirkin. “The only option was to go in through a large vein in the liver that gave us direct access to the heart.”
The operation was a success, but not an easy one. Jacqueline experienced significant pain and a difficult recovery, but she’s now healing and hopeful about returning to her normal life soon.
“I want to thank Dr. Mirkin, Professor Menashe Shubi, Dr. Farkash, and the whole medical team,” Jacqueline said. “They were like angels. I feel like I’ve been given a second chance.”
This has been translated from an article that originally appeared on Mako.co.il