Tamar from Moshav Ora rushed to the safe room in the middle of the night, and fell, suffering a complex ankle fracture that was repaired

at Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem.

 

In the past two weeks, the Hadassah hospitals have seen an increase in orthopedic injuries resulting from attempts to reach protected spaces as quickly as possible, whether to a safe room at home or to a public shelter.

Tamar Nahari, 62, who lives in Moshav Ora on the outskirts of Jerusalem, did not think that the alarm that sounded in the middle of the night would result in a complex fracture in her ankle and orthopedic surgery at Hadassah Ein Kerem.

The orthopedic team at Hadassah examined Tamar, performed imaging tests, and diagnosed a complex fracture with a dislocated ankle. That same day, the joint was relocated, and her leg was cast with an unequivocal instruction not to step on the leg.

“I tried very hard not to step on my foot, but I probably wasn’t completely disciplined,” she says with a smile. “And then a more significant fracture occurred, and all of this was only because of my unnecessary fall on the way to the safe room. This time, the doctors made it clear to me that I needed surgery to reset the bones.”

“I’m very lucky to be recovering in a ward that is on an underground floor, and during alarms, I don’t have to be moved. The place is safe and protected, and the staff – both the surgeons and those here in the department – is a wonderful gift to humanity.”

Dr. David Laniado, an expert in orthopedic trauma and skeletal deformities, who operated on Tamar with Dr. Muhammad Sabatin, anesthesiologist Dr. Muhammad Shehadeh, and operating room nurse Muhalues Diaaldin, performed the surgery in the operating rooms in Ein Kerem, which are located 4 floors underground and allow procedures to be conducted without interruption, even during alarms.

“During the surgery, the joint was put back in place, and ankle fractures were fixed,” Dr. Laniado describes. “In such a situation, there is a fear of cartilage erosion, thereby preventing the fractures from being fused. The surgery was therefore the right solution for Tamar. In a few weeks after the operation and her discharge home, she will begin a foot rehabilitation program.”

Dr. Laniado says that recently, since the “Roaring Lion” war began, there has been an increase in the number of orthopedic trauma cases, especially hip fractures, among the elderly who rush to the shelter or safe room.

“We remind everyone that the speed of response when an alarm is sounded is indeed necessary, but the path to the protected space must be maintained, so that it will be as safe and calm as possible, and of course, free of any obstacles.

It is important to pay attention to spouses, parents, and anyone who may stumble along the way. Significant damage due to a fall, especially among the elderly, may lead to a prolonged recovery and damage to quality of life, and we prefer to prevent this.”