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A 12-year-old Palestinian boy from the West Bank is lucky to be alive, let alone walking after he was seriously injured while riding his bike.
Suleiman Hassan was riding his bike when he was struck by a car and suffered an internal decapitation, which is when the skull becomes detached from the top vertebrae of the spine.
The boy was airlifted to Hadassah Medical Center and immediately sent to the trauma unit. Dr. Ohad Einav led the surgery, which has a survival rate of about 50%.
After several hours, Dr. Einav and his team managed to reattach Hassan's skull to his spine.
"Our ability to save the child was thanks to our knowledge and the most innovative technology in the operating room," Dr. Einav said.
The operation occurred last month, and Hassan has since been released from the hospital.
"The fact that such a child has no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction and that he is functioning normally and walking without an aid after such a long process is no small thing," Dr. Einav said.
Doctors will continue to monitor Hassan's recovery and expect him to make a full recovery.