{"title":"[MATERNAL MORTALITY IN ISRAEL - ACHIEVEMENTS AND ONGOING CHALLENGES].","authors":"Asher Bashiri, Omri Zamstein","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Israel has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates globally, at 2.6 per 100,000 births. Most deaths occur between the late second trimester and the postpartum period, primarily due to obstetric complications such as postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, and amniotic fluid embolism. Unlike the U.S.A., where leading causes include violence and substance abuse, maternal deaths in Israel are predominantly obstetric. A major challenge is distinguishing between preventable and non-preventable deaths. Research suggests that more than 60% of maternal deaths could be avoided with better diagnosis, timely intervention, and improved emergency response. Severe maternal morbidity often serves as a precursor to mortality, emphasizing the need for early detection and intervention. Postpartum hemorrhage, a leading cause of preventable maternal deaths, demonstrates how structured protocols, rapid response systems, and better coordination among medical teams can significantly reduce mortality. In contrast, amniotic fluid embolism remains largely unpredictable and untreatable, highlighting the current limits of medical intervention and the urgent need to intensify research into its underlying mechanisms and potential therapies. Despite Israel's achievements, further reductions in maternal mortality may still be possible. Strengthening medical training, improving emergency responses, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration could save lives. Every preventable death underscores the need for continuous improvement in maternal care.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 6","pages":"368-371"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144328361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[OCULOPLASTICS AND ORBITAL SURGERY SECTION: EYELID PTOSIS].","authors":"Daphna Landau","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Oculoplastics is a subspecialty of ophthalmology that focuses on a wide range of disorders affecting the eyelids, lacrimal system, and orbit. Common conditions include ptosis (eyelid drooping), nasolacrimal duct obstruction, thyroid eye disease, orbital fractures, and others.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 6","pages":"395-396"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144328363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Raphael Israeli, Gil Ganot, Helit Guy-Chen, Amir Oron
{"title":"[SYNDACTYLY OF THE FINGERS: DIAGNOSIS, EVALUATION AND TREATMENT].","authors":"Raphael Israeli, Gil Ganot, Helit Guy-Chen, Amir Oron","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Syndactyly release is a surgical procedure aimed at restoring hand and finger function while maintaining the natural appearance of the interdigital web space (commissure) as much as possible. The timing of surgery depends on the complexity of the fusion, the patient's age, and their overall medical condition. The traditional technique is based on a zigzag incision and the use of skin grafts combined with local flaps. However, it is associated with a relatively high incidence of complications, such as web creep, hypertrophic scars, flap necrosis, and contractures. This article provides a general overview of syndactyly and reviews an alternative surgical technique that minimizes the need for skin grafts, shortens recovery time, and improves both aesthetic and functional outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 6","pages":"372-375"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144328364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[IMAGING OVER-DIAGNOSIS OF LOW BACK PAIN IN PRIMARY CARE].","authors":"Reem Samir Abboud, Gill E Sviri","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Lower back pain (LBP) is a common symptom among the general population. Most LBPs are classified as non-specific back pain, which is a common reason for seeking medical treatment. However, only a minority will experience a serious etiology whereas most will often present additional risk factors or symptoms.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>Analyzing the current literature and common guidelines to understand the various aspects of overdiagnosing LBP in primary care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A current literature review was conducted to investigate the connections between the data and qualitative-quantitative analysis of the data to create a structured summary. Qualitative and quantitative articles discussing, directly or indirectly, the various aspects of overdiagnosis of LBP among primary care providers were included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most international clinical guidelines have prioritized non-medical approaches for patients with LBP. Many healthcare providers are not designed to support this approach when guideline-compliant clinical implementation requires system-wide changes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>LBP treatment and diagnosis should pay more attention to primary care physicians as better education and regulation should be implemented to reduce overdiagnosis.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Overdiagnosis of LBP in primary care burdens the system and harms patients for many and varied reasons. The existing guidelines must be organized and assimilated among primary care physicians, along with the establishment of a sufficient and uniform comprehensive system that supports the current approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 6","pages":"376-382"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144328357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[ACUTE MESENTERIC ISCHEMIA].","authors":"Avi Duchno, Gil Bachar","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>A 61-year-old man with a complex cardiovascular history and chronic kidney disease was hospitalized with an anterior STEMI and found on catheterization to have severe occlusions in multiple coronary arteries. He underwent PCI followed by urgent coronary artery bypass surgery. On the day after the surgery, he developed acute abdominal pain, and a CTA revealed thrombosis of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) with ischemia of the small intestine - a condition that was treated surgically with bowel resection and thrombectomy.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 6","pages":"388-389"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144328354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marina Pekar Zlotin, Yifat Wiener, Hen Yitzhak Sela, Ilia Kleiner, Noa Zafran, Inna Bleicher, Sabina Yogev Sponer, Ron Maymon
{"title":"[DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PREGNANT PATIENTS WITH SPLENIC ARTERY ANEURYSM (SAA) IN THE STATE OF ISRAEL: TWO DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND STILL IT IS A MYSTERY].","authors":"Marina Pekar Zlotin, Yifat Wiener, Hen Yitzhak Sela, Ilia Kleiner, Noa Zafran, Inna Bleicher, Sabina Yogev Sponer, Ron Maymon","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Rupture of splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) during pregnancy or the puerperium is an obstetric emergency endangering the lives of both the pregnant patient and the fetus.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>The aim of the current study is to characterize early signs of rupture SAA and recommend optimal management to prevent maternal and fetal mortality.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective follow-up study of cases reported in Israel among women diagnosed with SAA during pregnancy and postpartum. Demographics and obstetrical data of maternal and fetal/newborn were collected.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 13 cases of SAA in Israel between 2010 and 2023. The timing of the diagnosis ranged from the second to the third trimester (no cases were reported in the first trimester), with 2 cases diagnosed in the post-partum period. Three women (23%) died, and three fetuses did not survive (23%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Rupture of SAA during the pregnancy or in the puerperium is a rare event, however, it is associated with maternal and neonatal mortality. Raising awareness among all healthcare providers to the possible diagnosis of rupture of SAA in pregnant or peri-partum women with nonspecific symptoms, including abdominal pain and hemodynamic deterioration, is crucial for decision making and management of those cases and possibly saving their lives and the lives of their fetuses.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>In cases presented with undefined symptoms, including abdominal pain and hemodynamic deterioration, the clinician should suspect SAA. Awareness to the possible clinical presentation of SAA rupture during pregnancy is crucial and may prevent mortality for both the pregnant patient and her fetus.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 5","pages":"285-288"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS AND MONOGENIC DIABETES - CAN THE TWO WALK TOGETHER?]","authors":"Nirit Aviran Barak","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This is a case of a 35-year-old man, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) at the age of 16 after hospitalization due to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and positive glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies. His diabetes was never well controlled and there is a strong family history of diabetes and prediabetes as described. He asked to be checked for monogenic diabetes, so we conducted an exome panel for this condition. Surprisingly, the genetic testing was clearly positive for the heterozygote Glucokinase (GCK) gene, a highly pathogenic maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) type 2. All family members were referred to complete exome panel, which is not yet complete. In the literature the author found a few similar case reports. The genetic defect in MODY2 diabetes is in the phosphorylation of glucose to glucose 6 phosphate which acts as a glucose sensor; this causes insulin secretion in higher glucose levels.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 5","pages":"292-294"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hadar Marom Harel, Shahaf Hampel, Orit Yaron Raviv, Tal Weizman
{"title":"[GROUP COGNITIVE PROCESSING THERAPY - CPT - A CASE STUDY].","authors":"Hadar Marom Harel, Shahaf Hampel, Orit Yaron Raviv, Tal Weizman","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is one of only a few evidence based therapies that was developed and proven effective for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Therapy can be administered in an individual or group format. Group CPT was offered in our clinic prior to the onset of the Iron Swords war. Among the participants was G., who was diagnosed with PTSD following an injury that occurred during his military service.</p><p><strong>Aims: </strong>The aim of this report is to present group CPT through the experience of one participant who was diagnosed with PTSD due to a military injury and to discuss the potential utility of such a group to treat PTSD secondary to the Iron Swords war.</p><p><strong>Background: </strong>G was referred to treatment due to decreased functioning and active symptoms of PTSD that persisted several years after his injury. Despite his reservations, he participated in most meetings of group therapy that was based on the CPT protocol.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>In this time of war where trauma is abundant, a group model based on a protocol that was developed specifically to treat PTSD may be useful. In the case presented, group based CPT partially improved PTSD symptoms in a participant with a military based injury. Since then our clinic continues to offer group based CPT therapy which was also provided to a population of survivors of the massacre that took place at the onset of the Iron Swords war.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 5","pages":"295-298"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"[ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS AND THEIR USE IN MEDICINE CHATGPT - NOT THE ONLY PLAYER IN THE ARENA].","authors":"Zvi Weizman, Or Degany, Yehuda Shoenfeld","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In recent years, there has been a remarkable growth in the development and use of artificial intelligence tools in medicine based on large language models. This review will describe the main existing tools and their various applications for medical staff and patients. Despite its popularity, we will show that ChatGPT is not the only tool and that other tools are sometimes preferable. We will review research comparisons between different tools' effectiveness in various tasks. It will be shown that these tools lack specific performances, such as accuracy and reliability in providing information, understanding clinical context, and making diagnoses. The number of studies on these topics is small, and sometimes their presented results contradict each other. Additional quality research is needed to characterize and improve these tools and designate specific tools for different medical uses. Despite the many advantages and enormous potential inherent in these models, they should be used cautiously, as they only aid the treating physician and do not replace his knowledge, professional experience, and human judgment.</p>","PeriodicalId":101459,"journal":{"name":"Harefuah","volume":"164 5","pages":"276-280"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144145318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}