Dr. Einat Birk, Director of Cardiology at Schneider Children's Medical Center (second from right), and Professor Marc Mimouni, Director of Schneider Children's Medical Center (far right), explain to Ambassador and Mrs. Jones how Schneider's Cardiac Catheterization Unit uses state-of-the-art technology for the treatment of heart disease, helping young patients avoid the pain and risk involved in more invasive surgical procedures. |
U.S. Ambassador Richard Jones and Mrs. Jones are seen with Dr. Einat Birk, Director of Cardiology at Schneider Children's Medical Center, examining an AMPLATZER® device, an umbrella-like device used to repair the congenital defect known as Atrial Septal Defect. This double "umbrella" is folded into a thin catheter tube, inserted via a vein in the leg, into the heart and placed into the life-threatening hole between the heart's upper chambers. Once deployed, it plugs the hole, sparing the patient open-heart surgery. This device utilizes technology and materials developed by NASA for the US Space program. This US technology is being applied in Israel by Schneider Hospital physicians to save children as small as 800 grams. Dr. Einat Birk, Director of Cardiology, is putting her US training to good use. |
