The Pediatric Orthopedic Oncology Service treats children and adolescents within Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center’s Orthopedic Oncology Unit, recognized as a national center of excellence in pediatric orthopedic oncology by the Israeli Ministry of Health. Every Israeli child may receive treatment in the department, regardless of residence or health maintenance organization membership.
Center of excellence
Comprehensive care
Scope of services
The service treats children with tumors, metabolic diseases, and tumor-like conditions (cancerous or pseudo-cancerous) of the skeletal system (bones and joints) and soft tissue – in the limbs, pelvis and shoulders, spine, thorax and abdominal wall. Certain head and neck conditions are also treated.
These diseases include:
- Benign and malignant tumors (bone tumors, bone cancer, soft tissue tumors, and sarcoma)
- Secondary malignant tumors (metastases)
- Tumor-like conditions (infections or post-trauma conditions)
- Conditions that require extreme surgery – for both cancer and non-cancerous conditions, such as severe infections or injuries
Advanced and innovative treatment methods
The primary purpose of the Pediatric Orthopedic Oncology Service is to eliminate the need for limb amputation by performing limb-sparing surgery.
The service uses innovative treatment methods and the most advanced technologies such as:
- Implants, including elongating implants or bone grafts
- Therapeutic methods, including cryopreservation
- 3D technology for planning and preparing customized patient instrumentation (Patient Specific Instruments – PSI) for complex resections and reconstructions
- Minimally invasive surgery: electrosurgery to treat benign tumors
The scope of services includes:
- Initial clinic visit: The patient has an initial appointment and a comprehensive treatment plan is defined.
- Follow-up clinic visit: Patient visits following surgery or other treatments
- A broad range of surgeries, depending on the illness or medical condition
- Collaborative multidisciplinary clinics with experts from a range of disciplines
- Consultation and second opinions regarding treatments provided at other institutions
The service team
The service team is multidisciplinary, and care is provided with a comprehensive approach throughout the patient's life.
For small children, the objective is to maintain growth potential in order to prevent differences in limb lengths in the future. The Pediatric Orthopedics Department collaborates with the service to correct deformities or implement limb extension methods.
For optimal care, the service also collaborates closely with Pediatric Hemato-oncology, the Department of Plastic Surgery, the Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction Unit, the Vascular Surgery Unit, and the Skeletal Radiology Unit.
Inpatient care
Patients are hospitalized in the Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Department.