A team of doctors at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem has achieved what is being labeled a medical miracle. They successfully reattached 12-year-old Suleiman Hassan’s head after he received a serious and potentially life-threatening injury.
Suleiman, a Palestinian Arab boy from the West Bank, had been riding his bicycle when he was hit by a car in a serious accident. The impact caused what’s known as internal decapitation a rare and incredibly dangerous condition where the head is separated from the neck internally.
This injury is so fatal that the majority of individuals do not survive. It has a very high death rate, frequently causing death at the scene of the accident or a short time afterward.
1. What Internal Decapitation Really Means
This, in medical parlance, is referred to as atlanto-occipital dislocation. It occurs when the ligaments and muscles holding the bottom of the skull to the topmost portion of the spinal column are severed. This means the head is no longer attached to the body properly; it becomes unstable, hanging on by a thread.
When doctors at Hadassah assessed Suleiman’s condition, they saw just how serious it was. His head was described as “almost completely detached from the base of the neck,” with all the supporting ligaments torn.
2. A Fast, Life-Saving Response
Even though as devastating as the injury was, Suleiman was flown to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center’s Trauma Unit in Jerusalem. It was all a matter of timing. The severity of the damage to his upper spine made the situation incredibly perilous.
When he arrived, the surgical team didn’t hesitate. After a swift examination, they gauged his survival odds at a mere 50-50. That’s still construed as amazingly high for internal decapitation, but the case was still extremely precarious.
An intensive care unit team sprang into action. Surgeons geared up at once for an emergency surgery that would involve phenomenal accuracy and coordination.
3. An Incredibly Complex Surgery
The procedure lasted hours and needed meticulous labor. The surgeons had to reconnect the base of Suleiman’s skull to the top of his spine basically reattaching what had been torn loose in the accident.
Orthopedic specialists Dr. Ohad Einav and Dr. Ziv Asa performed the operation. Dr. Einav had just come back to Israel from a trauma surgery fellowship in Toronto. That experience proved to be crucial.
He had done the same kind of complicated spinal operations on grown-ups in his international training. Sure, this case was a child and much more delicate, but the expertise was the same and it mattered.
4. Fusing the Skull and Spine
In order to heal Suleiman’s injury, the staff combined his skull and spinal cord. The staff used new fixations and plates to stabilize the union. The new plates and fixations are intended to hold the damaged area and permit it to recover.
Spinal fusion can include rods, screws, and even bone grafts in some cases. The purpose is to provide a strong and permanent attachment that will not move or deteriorate over a period of time.
Dr. Einav attributed the success to a combination of expert information and cutting-edge technology. “Our success in saving the child was due to our expertise and the most advanced technology in the operating room,” he explained.
The accuracy which modern medical technology permits was essential in this case. It provided the team with the level of control they required to operate on such a delicate region of the body without inflicting further damage.
5. One Key Factor Made It Possible
There was one factor that was in Suleiman’s benefit: his large blood vessels were not damaged. Even though the head was separated from the spine internally, circulation to the brain wasn’t cut off.
That’s an extremely unusual and fortunate break. If circulation had been lost, survival would have been impossible. But since his brain was continuing to receive oxygen-rich blood, the team did have the opportunity to attempt to repair the injury.
The operation was a battle for the boy’s life, according to Dr. Einav. The hours in the operating room were tense and precise, but they knew they had a window and they exploited it.
6. Rehabilitation and Recovery
Suleiman was transferred to intensive care after the surgery. Recovery from something like this requires time, close observation, and care. He remained in hospital with doctors monitoring him closely.
Later, he was discharged with a cervical splint a neck support that facilitates healing. But what surprised the team even more was how well he recovered.
As Dr. Einav put it, Suleiman “went home with no neurological deficits or sensory or motor dysfunction.” That’s extremely unusual in such a case. Most patients who manage to survive internal decapitation end up with severe physical disabilities.
Suleiman, however, was able to walk unassisted. He was able to move normally. For a person who had just had their head reattached to their spine, the kind of recovery is practically unheard of.
7. A Father’s Gratitude
At each step of the way, Suleiman’s father remained close behind him. He never left the hospital, providing support and inspiration as his son struggled to live.
When the time came for discharge, his father was overcome with feeling. He addressed the medical staff and said, “Bless you all.” His message was brief but potent.
He thanked them, saying, “I will thank you all my life for saving my dear only son.
He realized how improbable his son’s recovery was. “Thanks to you he regained his life even when the odds were low and the danger was obvious.”
He indicated the most important factors which rescued Suleiman: “professionalism, technology, and rapid decision-making by the trauma and orthopedics team.” Then, from the bottom of his heart, he said, “All I can say is a big thank you.”
8. Why This Case Is So Unique
One of the rarest spinal injuries is internal decapitation less than 1% of all cases reported. It’s also more likely in children than adults. A 2015 review noted that it’s around three times more likely to occur in pediatric patients.
Even then, Suleiman’s recovery is almost unheard of. A study conducted by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia found only 16 cases of internal decapitations in kids within a period of 17 years.
What makes the injury so fatal is that most patients don’t even live long enough to be diagnosed. That’s why there isn’t much information most are fatal before they arrive at the hospital.
9. A Surgery Success Story That Will Be Studied for Years
NYU Langone Medical Center internist and clinical professor Dr. Marc Siegel had kind words about the surgery, terming it “amazing.”
The surgery actually took place in early June, but the hospital waited until July to release the news. They wanted to make certain the fusion was secure and the boy’s recovery was stable before releasing the tale.
Today, Suleiman’s recovery is carefully watched. The physicians will continue to check up on him to ensure the area that was fused continues to heal and remain strong.
This case will probably find its way into medical journals and serve as a teaching tool on how to manage very unusual injuries such as this one. It’s a textbook case of how top-notch training, teamwork, and quick response can all combine to save a life.
10. More Than Just a Survival Story
From a near-dead bike accident to leaving the hospital on foot, Suleiman’s recovery is a testament to just how far trauma care has evolved.
Hadassah’s trauma unit working in tandem with the orthopedic surgeons and intensive care unit was the key. Every second counted.
The equipment utilized in surgery such as the new fixations and plates are an example of an even larger transformation in spinal surgery. They’re what allow doctors to now do procedures that were previously unimaginable.
Dr. Einav’s training in Toronto also underscores the value of international medical cooperation. That education instilled in him the sense and ability to manage this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
11. A Human Story That Resonates
Throughout it all, Suleiman’s father never left his bedside. His steadfast presence served as a reminder that this is not merely a story about anatomy or technology it’s a story about family, a child, and the individuals who struggled to save him.
Suleiman’s return home, with a neck brace on but walking independently, is nothing short of miraculous. His recovery inspires doctors and families with unimaginable challenges.
The Hadassah team’s commitment, hour to hour in the operating room made this recovery possible. Their experience, coordination, and determination transformed an inevitable tragedy into a survival story that people will talk about for years to come.
