Hand Surgery and Microsurgery Department
The Hand Surgery Department at Sheba Medical Center is dedicated to providing specialized surgical treatments for the upper extremities, from shoulders to fingertips. Our team is highly qualified and experienced in treating traumatic injuries, birth defects, and conditions caused by acquired diseases. Sheba also operates the only dynamic MRI unit in Israel, enabling precise imaging to diagnose motion impairments on the upper limbs or joints.
Our Microsurgery Unit, which serves as the National Microsurgery Unit of the Israeli Ministry of Health, is the largest and oldest in the country. As a field of reconstructive surgery, microsurgery is performed by leading surgeons in plastic surgery and palm surgery. We specialize in a variety of complex procedures with microsurgical techniques, including emergency and elective surgeries. Premier care is provided by five surgeons in customized, state-of-the-art operating rooms, with the aid of a specially trained nursing staff.
The hand and wrist are complex structures in the body, and their normal function requires the use of all parts, dynamic sensation, active mobility, and comfortable operation. When any of these components are lost or compromised, we strive to restore full function and a normal appearance to the affected limbs.
The Division of Surgery at the Acute Care Hospital
The Department of Hand Surgery and the Microsurgery Unit are an essential part of Sheba Medical Center’s Division of Surgery – a frontline department committed to staying up-to-date with the latest surgical techniques. Experienced specialists serve patients with professional excellence and a compassionate manner.
At Sheba’s Division of Surgery:
- Our team consists of more than 250 surgeons and 500 nurses
- We have a total of 33 advanced operating rooms
- We perform approximately 23,500 procedures per year
- We provide treatment for 23,000 inpatients per year
- We care for 350,000 outpatients per year
The following departments are all housed within the Division of Surgery:
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
- Department of Surgical Oncology
- Department of Thoracic Surgery
- Department of Ambulatory Surgery
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care
- Department of General Surgery
- Department of Pediatric Surgery
- Department of Cardiac Surgery
- Department of Hand Surgery & Microsurgery Unit
- Department of Urology
- Gynecological Surgery Department
- Department of Obstetrics
- Department of Vascular Surgery
- Department of Orthopedics
- Department of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery
- The Goldschleger Eye Institute
What conditions do we treat?
Hand surgery is a broad category that includes many types of operations to restore function to hands and fingers. These surgeries may be done to treat various conditions, including:
- Defects or problems that are congenital or appear at birth
- Hand injuries
- Rheumatic diseases that alter and damage the hand structure, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
- Degenerative changes to the hand structures
Infections
What treatments do we offer?
Hand surgeries include numerous types of operations, and the particular procedure that Sheba’s physicians perform depends on the underlying cause of the problem.
At our Department of Hand Surgery, we offer the following types of surgeries:
- Closed reduction and fixation – this technique attempts to realign fractured hand bones, including the fingers. Fixtures such as rods, wires, splints, and casts are used to immobilize the limb while it heals.
- Tendon repair – due to the structure of the tendon (fibers that connect muscle to bone), repair can be complex.
- Nerve repair – damage to the three main nerves in the hand can lead to decreased mobility and sensation. Some nerve injuries heal without intervention, while others require surgery. If a nerve is severed, it can be surgically reattached to the other end of the nerve or a nerve graft can be performed, which involves inserting nerves from other areas of the body.
- Surgical drainage and/or debridement – infections of the hand are a common reason for treatment. If there is an abscess in the hand, surgical drainage may be performed. Cleansing of a wound (debridement) may be performed if the infection is severe.
- Joint replacement – we may perform joint replacement with an artificial joint, also called arthroplasty, for people with severe arthritis of the hand. The artificial joint can be made from plastic, silicone rubber, metal, or using tissue from the patient, such as a tendon.
At our Microsurgery Unit, we perform the following procedures:
- Reconstructive surgery for congenital defects and after oncological resection or trauma
- Scalp, head and neck reconstructions (including reconstruction of the facial and soft tissues)
- Comprehensive care of chronic wounds after trauma, burns, or infections
- Transplantation of accidentally severed body parts
- Toe to hand transfers, done when the hand has short or missing fingers
- Bone transplant surgery
- Surgeries for restoring function by muscle transfer
- Surgical treatments for peripheral nerve reconstruction, including nerve transplant surgery and brachial plexus reconstruction
- Tissue transfer procedures to cover extensive wounds, such as those sustained in combat
- Sex reassignment surgery
Our Staff
Amir Arami, MD
Director, Microsurgery Unit
Senior Physician, Department of Hand Surgery
Dr. Arami, a Tel Aviv native, received his medical degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He completed specialized training in orthopedic surgery at Beilinson Hospital (Rabin Medical Center), Petah Tikvah, and in hand surgery at Sheba Medical Center. Dr. Arami has participated in many conferences, courses, and training seminars in Israel and abroad. He has a particular expertise in peripheral nerve surgery.
Yona Yaniv, MD
Vice Head, Senior Orthopedic Surgeon, Hand Surgery Department
Dr. Yaniv received her medical degree from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, and she completed her internship at the Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv. Dr. Yaniv trained in her specialization as a hand surgeon at Sheba and proceeded to participate in advanced studies in wrist and joint arthroscopy, and finger, hand, and wrist injuries. She is also actively involved in a joint project with the Neurological Rehabilitation Department, headed by Prof. Gabriel Zeilig.
Holistic Healing – Our Focus is on You
Surgery is often the first step of healing, followed by supportive rehabilitation to optimize your functioning and quality of life and to minimize any pain as you recover. At Sheba, we are deeply committed to providing every patient with integrative medicine to help with every stage of the treatment and recuperation process. Our multidisciplinary team includes psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and social workers. Caring experts will consider your unique needs – physical, emotional, and social – to custom design a therapy program to satisfy them. All services from A-Z are offered conveniently on our comprehensive campus.
