The Last Chance Before Amputation: Innovative Treatment in Israel

For years, 69-year-old A. from Akko has battled diabetes. In recent months, his condition deteriorated after a chronic foot ulcer developed due to severe impairment of blood supply to his lower limb. The wound refused to heal, and doctors feared that amputation was inevitable.

"I arrived at the hospital with the most frightening threat hanging over me — losing my leg," he says. However, instead of amputation, A. became one of the first two patients in Israel to undergo treatment using the TrueLok Elevate System at the Galilee Medical Center.

How the Technology Works

This new technology is designed for patients suffering from severe lower limb ischemia, often linked to diabetic foot. Its goal is to encourage the body to create new blood vessels, thereby improving blood flow, assisting in the healing of chronic wounds, and reducing the risk of amputation.

The first surgeries in the country were performed by Dr. Chaim (Yefim) Starker, head of the Orthopedic Department, and Dr. Amit Corrector. During the procedure, surgeons perform an osteotomy—a controlled cut of the tibia—and create a small window in the bone, to which a dedicated external fixator is attached. After about a week, the patient begins operating the device four times a day, gradually moving the bone segment. This healing process stimulates the formation of new bone tissue and capillaries.

OECD: Israel leads the world in leg amputations due to diabetes.

"The goal is to improve blood supply in patients where it is impossible to achieve sufficient flow by other means," explains Dr. Starker. "When the bone begins to heal, new small blood vessels are created, helping to overcome the impairment. In cases of diabetic foot, where wounds do not heal due to lack of blood flow, this process can save the limb." He notes that while the medical principle has been known for decades, only recently has a dedicated device been developed to make the method safer and more comfortable.

A "Personal Medical Miracle"

The results have been remarkable. One of the first patients arrived with a chronic ulcer that had persisted for over eight months. "Within a few months, we managed to close the wounds and save the leg, and he returned to walking after being confined to a wheelchair," Dr. Starker notes.

A. says he felt the change shortly after treatment began: "When the team offered me this innovative treatment, I didn't hesitate. I had nothing to lose. Going from a tangible fear of amputation to a state where the body is simply healing itself anew—it feels like a personal medical miracle."

Professor Masad Barhoum, Director of the Galilee Medical Center, added: "True medical innovation is measured by its ability to change people's lives. The combination of our orthopedic team's exceptional skill and international cutting-edge technology allows us to offer breakthrough solutions in the most complex cases." The surgeries were also attended by Dr. Vladimir Terzi and Dr. Alaa Aboud.