Sheba Medical Center Reviews

Complex thyroid surgery left me anxious about vocal cord damage, but Dr. Shapira's innovative nerve monitoring technique preserved my voice perfectly. His post-op visits included vocal exercises that felt more like singing lessons than medical treatment.

Follow-up visit for my son's tonsillectomy: Dr. Shapira remembered his favorite soccer team and brought him a small team badge. The personal touch made a scary recovery feel like visiting a friend who just happens to be a brilliant surgeon.

Routine hearing test turned into a fascinating lesson about how the ear processes sound. Dr. Shapira drew diagrams showing how different frequencies travel, making what could be boring into something genuinely interesting.

My teenager's chronic nosebleeds were solved not with medication, but with Dr. Shapira's clever cauterization technique using silver nitrate. The procedure took minutes, and he joked that my son's nose was now 'fortified like a medieval castle.'

Post-cancer laryngectomy follow-up: Dr. Shapira spent two hours teaching me esophageal speech, patient beyond measure. When I produced my first recognizable word, he cheered louder than my family had!

Discovered my rare cholesteatoma during what I thought was a simple earwax removal. Dr. Shapira's early detection and meticulous surgery prevented what could have been serious complications. His detailed explanation using 3D ear models was incredible.

Brought my infant for a tongue-tie revision - Dr. Shapira performed the frenotomy so quickly the baby barely cried. His advice on post-procedure breastfeeding positions was more helpful than any lactation consultant we'd seen.

Emergency foreign body removal from a child's nose (a LEGO piece, because of course). Dr. Shapira turned it into a game, having the child 'blow the rocket ship out of their nose' rather than using instruments. Pure genius with pediatric patients!

A 28-year-old professional gamer from Tel Aviv presented with sudden-onset chest tightness during an international tournament. Dr. Salem discovered an anomalous coronary artery course causing ischemia during extreme adrenaline surges. Instead of traditional intervention, he designed a personalized beta-blocker regimen combined with biofeedback training, allowing the patient to continue competing while managing symptoms.

An 82-year-old Holocaust survivor with severe aortic stenosis was deemed inoperable elsewhere due to frailty and PTSD from medical settings. Dr. Salem performed a minimalist TAVR procedure using only local anesthesia while playing the patient's favorite Yiddish melodies, achieving successful valve replacement with immediate symptomatic improvement.

A 16-year-old Ethiopian immigrant with undiagnosed rheumatic heart disease presented in acute heart failure. Dr. Salem coordinated with cultural mediators to explain the need for mitral valve repair to her traditional family, then performed a successful repair using minimally invasive techniques, allowing her to return to school within three weeks.

A 42-year-old Bedouin shepherdess from the Negev desert arrived with recurrent syncope. Dr. Salem diagnosed long QT syndrome exacerbated by dehydration and heat exposure. He created a customized management plan involving electrolyte monitoring, modified traditional clothing for better ventilation, and arranged for solar-powered cooling units in her tent.

A 55-year-old high-tech executive with 'burnout cardiomyopathy' had declining ejection fraction despite maximal medical therapy. Dr. Salem prescribed a novel regimen combining cardiac medications with mandatory vacation, digital detox, and nature therapy, resulting in complete myocardial recovery within six months.

A 7-year-old refugee from Ukraine with congenital heart disease presented with cyanosis. Dr. Salem organized a multidisciplinary team to perform a complex arterial switch operation pro bono, then arranged for the family's housing through hospital connections during the child's recovery.

A 33-year-old ultra-Orthodox woman with peripartum cardiomyopathy refused mixed-gender cardiac rehabilitation. Dr. Salem established Israel's first gender-segregated cardiac rehab program, incorporating modesty considerations while maintaining evidence-based exercise protocols, leading to her full functional recovery.

A 68-year-old retired diamond cutter from Antwerp presented with mysterious recurrent atrial fibrillation. Dr. Salem identified that the patient's lifelong exposure to diamond dust had caused microscopic myocardial irritation. Treatment involved specialized anti-inflammatory therapy rather than standard ablation, with complete arrhythmia resolution.

A 19-year-old professional dancer developed unexplained tachycardia during performances. Dr. Salem diagnosed neurocardiogenic syncope triggered by extreme proprioceptive stimulation. His innovative treatment combined fludrocortisone with ballet-specific balance retraining, enabling her to return to the stage.

A 47-year-old Palestinian construction worker with massive anterior MI received thrombolysis at a checkpoint clinic before transfer to Sheba. Dr. Salem performed emergency PCI across language barriers using pictogram consent, then coordinated cross-border follow-up care through telemedicine partnerships.

A 91-year-old Yemenite grandmother with critical limb ischemia and cardiac risk factors was not a candidate for standard revascularization. Dr. Salem pioneered a hybrid procedure using targeted drug-eluting balloons via radial access while she remained sitting upright per cultural preference, saving her leg without complications.

A 25-year-old medical student self-diagnosed with anxiety but actually had catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Dr. Salem recognized the pattern during her clinical rotation and implanted a subcutaneous ICD during an educational case demonstration, turning her near-fatal condition into a teaching moment.