Dr. Aviva Levitas, director of the Pediatric Cardiology Unit at Soroka: "The boy's condition was very serious and called for life-saving actions. The dramatic cooperation between all the treatment teams, the rapid response, and the connection of the child to the EKMO machine kept the boy alive and saved him."
In early April, fourteen-year-old Abed Elatzibi was admitted to Pediatric Medicine Department B at the Saban Pediatric Medical Center at Soroka suffering from diarrhea and vomiting. Ten days before his hospitalization he had fallen ill with COVID-19.
After a short time, his condition suddenly deteriorated, and he was rushed to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where he underwent CPR. An echocardiogram was performed on the boy and demonstrated a severe decrease in heart function and a very low heart rate due to damage to the conduction system.
The boy was suffering from myocarditis, an inflammation of the myocardium, due to PIMS. He was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department and treated with immunoglobulin and steroids, the usual treatment for PIMS. From a hemodynamic perspective, the boy needed an ECMO connection immediately to save his life.
A multi-professional team treated him. Dr. Aviva Levitas, pediatric cardiologist; pediatric intensive care teams, Dr. Yaron Yishai, head of the ECMO service of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department; Dr. Oren Lev-Ran; other teams from the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department; and Eli Raini, a cardiopulmonary technologist, connected the boy to the ECMO machine. At the same time, a team of physicians from the Cardiology Institute implanted a temporary pacemaker.
After about a week, the boy's condition stabilized and improved significantly. In the echocardiogram performed at the Pediatric Cardiology Institute, it was observed that his cardiac function had improved greatly, and he no longer required a pacemaker. He also suffered no neurological damage.
Dr. Aviva Levitas, director of the Pediatric Cardiology Unit: "The boy's condition was very serious and called for life-saving actions. The dramatic cooperation between all the treatment teams, the rapid response, and the connection of the child to the ECMO machine kept the boy alive and saved him."
Dr. Oren Lev-Ran, senior physician at Soroka's Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery: 'The boy's condition was very serious and deteriorated rapidly. His heart and lungs stopped functioning and there was no choice but to connect him to the ECMO machine. The timing and treatment of the multi-professional team throughout saved his life."
Prof. Aviv Goldbert, director of the Pediatric Medicine Department B at Soroka, says: "This is the most serious PIMS patient we treated during the COVID-19 period and I am proud of the result achieved by the combined treatment of many teams and the rheumatologist Dr. Eddie Ling, from the Pediatric Division. The combination of the knowledge and expertise of all involved was responsible for our success."
Laila Elatzibi, Abed's mother: "Everyone tried their best to save my son. Nothing I say can describe what we went through in those moments when his condition deteriorated. Thanks to God and the doctors, my son is alive."
