Newborn with a severe intestinal defect receives medication that allows her to eat normally
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Hadassah Hospital: The first time in the world that a baby received this treatment
Administering the lowest possible dosage of a medication never before used on a baby, Dr. Mordechai Slae, a senior pediatric gastroenterologist at Hadassah Medical Center, was able to ameliorate the condition of a 6-month-old baby born with a rare and severe defect in her large intestine. For the first time, the little girl was able to eat normally rather than having to be fed intravenously.
Libby and Mordechai, a Jerusalem couple in their thirties, waited seven years for the birth of their daughter. A blockage was found in the intestines of the fetus, and Libby was sent to Hadassah Ein Kerem for an MRI. After birth, the baby was transferred to the NICU, and more comprehensive tests were conducted. She was diagnosed with Mega Cystis and Micro Colon.
According to Dr. Mordechai Slae, this is a rare occurrence. “There are only 200 cases like this worldwide. The baby was suffering and received acetaminophen around the clock to alleviate some of her pain. Her bladder is too large and her colon too small. This little baby was dependent on intravenous nutrition from day one. In unusual cases like these, my motto is to try every possible solution—even if it seems unorthodox.”
Intravenous feeding (TPN) is detrimental to quality of life, often leads to life-threatening complications, and in 50 percent of cases requires an intestinal transplant later in life. Reducing TPN, even just a little, greatly improves the patient’s quality of life. The drug Resolor, given to baby, had successfully passed all safety tests when given to children a few years old. But this was the first time in the world that a baby received this treatment. In addition to the drug having the desired effect and improving the baby’s colon function, it also improved the baby’s bladder. “This was a surprising—but welcome—side effect,” said Dr. Slae. “This innovative treatment allows baby to be disconnected from intravenous feeding for several hours a day, it improves her bowel function, and it reduces the risk of complications. Baby Hadassah can be just a regular kid for a few hours.”
Said Dr. Slae, “Since undergoing this innovative treatment, the little baby started smiling. She no longer requires acetaminophen every minute of the day, and she lets her parents get a few hours of sleep at night. I will continue to apply existing treatments to new situations—like in this case—to best treat children with severe gastroenterological conditions.”
For more than 100 years, Hadassah University Hospital in Jerusalem (www.hadassah-med.com) has been a leader in medicine and nursing in Israel, laying the foundation and setting the standards for the country’s modern health care system. The majority of medical breakthroughs in Israel have taken place there. With more than 130 departments and clinics, Hadassah-Ein Kerem provides Israel’s most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic services for the local and national population and a significant number of international patients.
iMER (International Medical Evaluation and Referrals) is a Worldwide Health Services Provider and the exclusive representative of Hadassah University Hospital in Greece and Cyprus, offering healthcare services in the most technologically and medically advanced centers in several countries all over the world and treatments that cannot be found elsewhere, by medical scientists that are pioneers in their field of specialization.
