Gender affirming surgery performed for first time in northern Israel

Three gender affirming surgeries were performed at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya for the first time, the hospital announced on Tuesday.

The surgeries took place under the leadership of Prof. Loren Schechter, an American expert, and as a collaboration between the Galilee Medical Center and the Sheba Medical Center.

Sheba Medical Center is the only medical center in Israel currently authorized to perform gender affirming surgeries, although the Galilee Medical Center is expected to become authorized to do such surgeries in the coming months, subject to the approval of the Health Ministry.

The patients were hospitalized in the Women's Department of the hospital after the surgery and were doing well.

Schechter was joined in the surgeries by plastic surgery specialist and director of gender affirming surgeries Dr. Alon Liran of Sheba Medical Center, plastic surgery specialist Dr. Tal Konfino of Sheba Medical Center, operating room nurse Aviv Ben Yehuda of Sheba Medical Center, director of the uro-gynecology unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center Dr. Revital Arbel, and the medical staff of the Galilee Medical Center, including doctors from the obstetrics and gynecology department and the plastic surgery unit.

Among the staff from the Galilee Medical Center were the director of the Women and Maternity Department, Prof. Lior Levenstein, as well as Dr. Amin Abu Jabal, Dr. Orin Tal, and Dr. Susana Mustafa-Mikhail.

"We've had a very exciting week, during which three gender affirming surgeries were performed for the first time in the northern region," said Levenstein. "This is great news for female patients, who in the past had to wait years for this surgery, or undergo it abroad. I am happy that the surgeries were conducted in collaboration with one of the greatest international experts in this field and look forward to continued collaboration with the Sheba Medical Center. In my view, it is very important to be able to offer this service in another medical center in Israel, and not only in the central area, so that the service will be more accessible, and thus women living in the north will be able to receive it near their homes."

Multidisciplinary team for gender affirming surgeries established at Galilee Medical Center

A multidisciplinary team was established at the medical center, including psychiatrists, a social worker, an endocrinologist, and plastic surgeons in order to provide the necessary services for patients undergoing this type of surgery.

"After Sheba became a unique national center for gender affirming treatment, and after we established a first-of-its-kind multidisciplinary clinic, which enables the entire range of treatment for gender affirmation, we are trying to create additional centers where it will be possible to receive the full range of treatments," said Liran. "We are happy that the Galilee Medical Center picked up the gauntlet and got involved in the task, with the full support of the expert teams from Sheba, who provide training, education, and technical assistance to the surgical team and the treatment team in the department. We see the success of the project and the accessibility of treatment to the periphery as a significant contribution for the trans community."

The director of the Galilee Medical Center, Prof. Mas'ad Barhoum, stated "We engraved on our flag the words 'person to person - a person', while providing professional and humane medicine, regardless of religion, race or gender, and without judgment, criticism or discrimination. The three surgeries were performed by us as part of an extraordinary marathon, which included wonderful cooperation between our teams and experts at the highest levels. I would like to thank the Sheba Medical Center, its head, Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, and Prof. Loren Shechter, for the important cooperation."