Pediatric Neurosurgery and Epilepsy Unit
The Pediatric Neurosurgery and Epilepsy Unit at Sheba Medical Center provides treatment for all children, from preterm infants through adolescence, for a wide range of cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve disorders. We employ a multidisciplinary approach, and our skilled neurosurgeons collaborate with specialists from many different Sheba departments to design the optimal treatment plan for each individual child. Our unit is equipped with the most advanced technologies to ensure detailed diagnoses, state-of-the-art surgical procedures, and progressive therapies. In addition, patient comfort is a paramount concern at Sheba – especially for our young patients.
Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Surgery at the Acute Care Hospital
The Pediatric Neurosurgery and Epilepsy Unit is located within Sheba’s Department of Neurosurgery in the Division of Surgery at the Acute Care Hospital. Our comprehensive Neurosurgery Department also includes:
- Benign Brain Tumors Unit
- Cerebrovascular Service Unit
- Neuro-Oncology Unit
- Spinal Surgery Service
- Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and Radiosurgery Unit
Neurological Conditions & Treatments at Sheba
Pediatric Neurosurgery deals primarily with the evaluation and treatment of cranial, spinal, and peripheral neurological disorders in children of all ages:
- Spina bifida: This congenital condition is the most common type of neural tube defect; it occurs in the earliest stage of fetal development. We have a fully equipped neonatal intensive care unit, and shortly after birth, our neurosurgeons will typically perform surgery to repair the defect.
- Hydrocephalus: Hydrocephalus is an accumulation of fluid inside the brain. Congenital hydrocephalus results from a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors, whereas acquired hydrocephalus can be caused by a range of other serious health conditions. Generally, it is treated by inserting a shunt to enable drainage of fluid into the abdomen. At Sheba, we perform endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), a procedure that uses endoscopes to enable precise surgical treatment for hydrocephalus.
- Craniosynostosis and craniofacial reconstruction: When a baby is born, the skull is made up of many small bones that border each other along sutures. These sutures allow the skull to grow. However, if any of them close too quickly, the brain is forced to grow into an unnatural shape, called craniosynostosis. Usually, we treat this disfiguring condition within the baby’s first year.
- Pediatric tumors: Once a tumor – either malignant or benign – has been diagnosed by our pediatric specialists, we will typically perform a biopsy and/or surgical removal of the tumor.
- Vascular abnormalities: Various rare conditions can affect the blood vessels in the brains of newborns, babies, and growing children. At Sheba, our pediatric neurosurgeons use advanced imaging technologies, such as MRI and interventional neuroradiology, to treat these vascular problems. In particular, we specialize in treating Moyamoya disease.
- Surgical management of medically intractable epilepsy: When epilepsy cannot be managed successfully with medication, we offer several promising therapies through the Sheba Epilepsy Surgery program. Our pediatric neurosurgeons collaborate with the pediatric neurology team to give new hope for effective treatment.
- Brain and spinal cord trauma: Our Emergency Division doctors are highly qualified to care for the most severe traumas; Sheba Medical Center is a Level One Trauma Center and a Spinal Cord Injury Center. After diagnosis, we will either transfer the patient to our pediatric ICU or to the surgical division, as necessary.
Pediatric Neurosurgical Operations at Sheba
Along with seven neurosurgery units, Sheba has a specialized intensive care unit and several clinics dedicated to preoperative, outpatient, and nursing services. Our pediatric neurosurgeons perform approximately 150 operations every year, using the latest surgical technology – such as microsurgery, minimally invasive neuro-endoscopy, frameless/image guided and frame-based stereotaxy, intraoperative MRI, and stereotactic radiosurgery.
We offer the following procedures:
- Benign and malignant brain tumors
- Benign and malignant spinal cord tumors
- Pituitary tumors
- Cerebrovascular surgery
- Stereotactic and functional surgery
- Radiosurgery
- Spinal surgery
- Management of head and spinal cord trauma
Meet the Director
Zeev Feldman, MD
Director, Pediatric Neurosurgery Department
Dr. Feldman received his medical degree from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University and completed his residency in neurosurgery in Israel. He underwent clinical training in head and brain injuries and in the pediatric surgical treatment of epilepsy and brain surgery at Baylor Medical College, Houston, TX. Upon his return to Israel, he founded the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Sheba. Dr. Feldman has published extensively in international medical journals.
Zeev Feldman, MD
Jacob Zauberman, MD
Senior Physician at the Department of Neurosurgery
In his role as a Senior Neurosurgeon at Sheba, Dr. Zauberman practices in the fields of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hydrocephalus, Endoscopic Surgery, Brain Tumors and Epilepsy Surgery. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa. Dr. Zauberman then completed his residency in neurosurgery at Sheba, and specialized in brain tumors at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, before completing a fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery at the Children’s Hospital in Seattle, WA. He has published many scientific articles in neurosurgery.
Sheba’s Holistic Approach to Healing
We relate to all of our pediatric neurosurgery patients as whole people, and not just as a young patient with a specific medical problem. A collaborative team of doctors works together to ensure attention is given to all parts of healing, including the psychological, intellectual, social, and physical aspects. Each child and his/her family benefits from the expert skills and compassionate attitude of our pediatric specialists, such as neurosurgeons, radiologists, pathologists, oncologists, orthopedists, social workers, and coordinating nurses – all working conveniently under one roof. To provide the most comfortable and efficient experience possible, we assign a personal medical coordinator from the International Medical Tourism Division to assist every family.
