Shilo lost his knee in the war.
Hadassah doctors successfully reconstructed it surgically using a 3D printer and a bone taken from his pelvis.
The story of Shilo’s fighting and injury in Gaza was far from ordinary. It began when he was shot in the leg, resulting in a shattered knee. He lay on the ground surrounded by terrorists who continued to fire at him. The advanced technology surgery at Hadassah marked the turning point in his journey, leading to his release to begin the rehabilitation process. Recounting the shocking occurrence, Shilo expressed gratitude, stating, “I’m fortunate to have ended up in the hands of a professional team that understands bone restoration and reconstruction.”
Shilo Segev, a soldier in the Givati Brigade and a cadet in the Officers’ School, was sent to the Gaza envelope to help fight in the communities when the war broke out on October 7. Shilo recalled, “We spent Shabbat at the base, and early Saturday morning, we were whisked to the Gaza envelope communities. Like everyone else, we didn’t realize the magnitude of the incident at first, with many unclear issues.”
Shilo and the soldiers of the Gefen Battalion in Bahad 1 arrived in Ofakim and began searching the city. “Later, we reached Kissufim to assist the forces fighting there.”
After about two weeks of fighting in the Gaza envelope communities and a month of training and certification in Bahad 1, they entered the Gaza Strip. There, they cleared houses and conducted numerous searches. Shilo described the challenging fighting in the crowded Jabaliya neighborhood, where a large civilian population was mixed in with terrorists.
Recounting a critical moment during a mission, Shilo narrated, “I tried to open the door and felt a slight resistance. I identified a barrel making it difficult to open the door. I asked the commander for permission to shoot, as the mission was supposed to be secret, and after approval, I started firing into the room. Immediately, they fired back at us.” Shilo’s partner was wounded, and during the retreat, Shilo was shot in the leg, ending up alone in the alley as terrorists continued firing at him.
Evacuated by helicopter to Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem, Shilo underwent emergency surgery performed by Dr. Alona Katzir and Dr. Omer Or from the orthopedic department. Prof. Yoram Weil, Director of the Orthopedic Trauma Unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem, later operated on Shilo, describing the complex fracture and the challenges it presented. Utilizing a 3D printer from Stratasys, the doctors at Hadassah built a model to guide the reconstruction of Shiloh’s knee, ensuring accuracy and planning.
Prof. Weil stated, “The surgery was performed accurately and successfully.” Shilo, already undergoing restorative physiotherapy training within Hadassah’s orthopedic department, expressed optimism about the improvement in functioning and eagerly anticipated significant rehabilitation. “From here, I have to finish the surgeries and get back to myself; that’s for sure what will happen.”