Professor Ehud Raananileading cardiothoracic surgeon
The treatment of heart pathologies at the Ichilov clinic receives special attention. The clinic's cardiologists have been working with patients suffering from heart failure for a long time, and their accumulated experience allows them to achieve high results in treatment. The doctors have access to the latest medications, techniques, and equipment. Thanks to an innovative approach to therapy, patients can expect positive dynamics, regardless of the severity of the pathology.
The most important element that ensures success is the precise identification and elimination of the causes that led to the development of heart failure. The outcome of treatment is the cessation of the progression of the pathology, stabilization of the patient's condition, and minimization of the risks of cardiological crises. Reviews of heart failure treatment in Israel show that positive results are maintained for a long time, allowing patients to return to normal life, work, and perform everyday household tasks.
For patients arriving at Ichilov from the CIS countries, the most comfortable conditions are created. If the treating doctors do not speak Russian, a translator accompanies the patient during consultations. All preliminary diagnostic studies are conducted in a short time, which helps to reduce the length of stay in Israel and lower living costs in the country.
How Heart Failure is Treated at Ichilov
Chronic heart failure is treated using both conservative and surgical methods. The choice of method depends on the stage of the disease, the condition of the heart's vessels and valves, and the patient's age. Alongside the therapy for heart failure, treatment is also provided for the underlying disease that provoked it – arrhythmias, ischemia, endocrine system pathologies, atherosclerosis, and so on. The goal of therapy is to achieve the maximum possible restoration of the tissues of the vessels and heart, restore normal blood flow, and stabilize the patient's overall condition.
Medication Treatment. The intake of medications is aimed at eliminating the risk of thrombosis in the vessels, preventing the narrowing of the heart's vessels, and improving vascular tone. The patient may also be prescribed medications that enhance metabolic processes in the myocardium and hemodynamics. The dosage and names of the medications are determined individually, and the doctor monitors their effectiveness and adjusts the treatment plan as necessary. At Ichilov, new generation medications are prescribed, which have high efficacy and minimal side effects.
In the early stages of heart failure, when serious irreversible changes in the tissues of the heart and vessels have not yet occurred, conservative therapy, the abandonment of harmful habits, and a balanced diet can significantly slow the progression of the pathology. If this proves ineffective, doctors resort to surgical methods.
Valve Replacement. Severe valve pathologies that disrupt normal blood supply to the heart require surgical treatment. Ichilov performs the least traumatic types of heart valve replacement. In most cases, they do not involve open surgery and connection to a heart-lung machine.
- The endovascular surgery technique, without tissue incisions. A puncture is made in a large vessel, through which a prosthesis is delivered in a folded state to the area of pathology (using a thin catheter). The implant is unfolded, positioned near the valve, and fixed in the necessary position.
- Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery with small incisions in the sternum, without the need to stop the heart. Through tiny incisions in the chest cavity, special instruments are introduced, with which, under video monitoring, the implant is installed. To ensure the implantation is as precise as possible, robotic surgery may be performed using innovative equipment – the da Vinci surgical robot.
Implantation of a Pacemaker. If the patient has a severe form of arrhythmia that provokes heart failure, the clinic performs cardiac resynchronization therapy, normalizing the contractions of both ventricles of the heart. This method involves the installation of a pacemaker, which affects specific areas of the myocardium with electrical discharges. The pacemaker is implanted using a minimally invasive method, without open surgery. During the installation, the generator that produces electrical impulses is placed under the skin in a special subcutaneous pocket, and the electrodes are connected to the heart muscle tissue. The device prevents the onset of arrhythmia attacks and allows patients to return to a full life without the risk of recurrence of attacks.
Cardiomyoplasty. In some patients, serious damage to the heart tissues is found during examination; for them, muscle plastic surgery may be a treatment option. For this, the surgeon transplants a muscle flap from another part of the body into the myocardial tissue. By using the patient's own tissues, the risk of rejection is prevented, and the patient recovers much faster.
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery. In cases of irreversible changes in the vessel supplying the heart, surgery may be performed in which the affected vessel is bypassed, and a new pathway for blood flow is created. A fragment of the patient's own artery or vein is used for this.
Laser Revascularization. If there are contraindications to bypass surgery, an innovative method using a laser may be performed. A laser beam creates holes in the myocardium, which later become the basis for future blood vessels of the heart. Blood begins to flow through the newly created vessels, restoring the heart's nutrient supply.
Medical Procedures
- Coronary artery bypass grafting
- Aortic valve replacement
- Heart valve replacement
Examination for Heart Failure in Israel
The maximum accuracy of diagnosis and the short time in which it is conducted are the main advantages of examination at the Ichilov clinic. It takes only three days.
First Day
Examination and consultation with a cardiologist, cardiothoracic surgeon.
Second Day
Laboratory and instrumental studies are conducted:
- Blood tests
- Ultrasound of the heart
- ECG
- Electroechocardiography
- Stress testing
- Angiography
- Endoscopic examination of the heart vessels (catheterization).
Third Day
A council is held, during which a group of doctors analyzes the diagnostic data and develops a treatment plan.
If the patient wishes to consult with an Israeli cardiologist, they can do so without coming to Israel, via Skype. During the video consultation, an expert from the Ichilov clinic analyzes the correctness of the diagnosis made at home, the adequacy of the prescribed therapy, and develops an individual treatment plan. The video consultation can be ordered on the website by submitting a request to a consultant in the chat window. It is a budget option for those who want to ensure the correctness of treatment at home or who have not yet decided which clinic they would like to be treated in.
Diagnostic Procedures
- Ultrasound
Prices for Heart Failure Treatment in Israel
With high-quality therapeutic procedures, the cost of heart failure treatment in Israel is more affordable than in clinics in Europe or the USA, with price differences reaching 30-50%. The exact cost is determined after the diagnosis is completed, treatment methods are defined, and the types of medications and therapeutic procedures are established.
Advantages of Treatment at Ichilov
- Maximum diagnostic accuracy
- Highly professional medical staff
- Use of innovative and minimally invasive types of therapy
- Cost of treatment is lower than in the USA and Europe
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