Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Prof. Zvi Cohen is Director of the Neurosurgery Department and the Neuro-Oncology Unit at Sheba Medical Center. He is a neurosurgeon and neuro-oncology expert. He was included in Forbes Israel’s Best Doctors 2025. He leads clinical research on drug therapies for malignant brain tumors. He also founded Sheba’s brain tumor tissue bank.
He is board-certified in neurosurgery. He trained at Tel Aviv University. He completed fellowships in neuroradiology at Beth Israel and in neurosurgical oncology at MD Anderson. His practice covers complex brain, pituitary, spine, and spinal cord tumors. He has expertise in stereotactic biopsies, image-guided resections, intraoperative MRI, navigation systems, and radiosurgery. He is a member of the Society for Neuro-Oncology and the Israeli Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Israeli neurosurgeons treat arteriovenous malformations (AVM) using microsurgical resection, endovascular embolization, and stereotactic radiosurgery. These facilities integrate advanced neuronavigation and intraoperative angiography. Multi-stage protocols frequently combine these methods to achieve complete obliteration of complex vascular tangles.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli centers like Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) manage extremely high patient volumes, exceeding 1.8 million annually. This high frequency allows neurosurgeons like Dr. Grossman Rachel to refine techniques in awake craniotomy and white-matter tracking. Our data shows patients benefit from this volume, as specialists often utilize intraoperative MRI to verify successful vessel closure before the surgery concludes.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that embolization sessions often serve as a preliminary step to shrink the malformation before final surgery. Many emphasize that while radiosurgery is non-invasive, it requires patience as the vessels may take up to 3 years to close fully.
Recovery time after an arteriovenous malformation procedure in Israel depends on the surgical approach taken. Microsurgical resection typically involves a 4 to 6 day hospital stay. Most patients return to daily activities within 4 to 6 weeks. Full recovery usually occurs between 2 to 6 months post-surgery.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While recovery times vary, medical centers in Israel like Sourasky and Hadassah offer high specialized capacity with over 35,000 surgeries performed yearly. Data shows elite specialists like Dr. Samuel Moskovichi co-author extensive peer-reviewed research on endovascular procedures. This academic depth often leads to more refined post-operative protocols that help manage complex recovery phases effectively.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that while they leave the hospital quickly, brain fog and fatigue can persist for months. Many emphasize the importance of tracking subtle mood changes and arranging anti-seizure medications early in the healing process.
Sourasky Medical Center, Hadassah Medical Center, and Sheba Medical Center are Israel’s most experienced facilities for arteriovenous malformation (AVM) management. These JCI-accredited institutions utilize multidisciplinary teams. They combine neurosurgery and neuroradiology to treat complex vascular abnormalities with high success rates.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Data shows a high concentration of Forbes-listed specialists at these three centers. For example, Professor Zvi Cohen at Sheba is a recognized leader in neurosurgical oncology. When choosing a clinic, look for those with integrated tissue banks and research divisions. These facilities often provide access to newer imaging protocols before they become standard elsewhere.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is vital to share imaging with neurosurgery departments early. They emphasize checking if a surgeon has international training at institutions like Johns Hopkins.
Leading AVM specialists in Israel include Dr. Jose Cohen and Dr. Shimon Maimon, who specialize in endovascular procedures. Prof. Zvi Cohen and Dr. Andry Key manage complex cases at Sheba and Hadassah. These experts operate within JCI-accredited facilities using advanced robotic and neuro-imaging technologies.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli neurosurgery stands out because specialists often hold dual certifications in both open surgery and endovascular radiology. Prof. Zvi Cohen at Sheba Medical Center, for example, combines neuro-oncology expertise with radiosurgery. This allows patients to receive multi-modal treatment, like embolization followed by Gamma Knife, within a single clinical team.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize the importance of getting multiple opinions at high-volume centers. Many note that combining embolization with radiosurgery often leads to better results than single-method approaches.
Israeli medical centers provide formal remote treatment plans for arteriovenous malformation (AVM) through established telemedicine services. Specialists review imaging archives and medical history to issue digital care summaries. This typically includes a preliminary surgical approach, robotic radiosurgery options, and estimated treatment durations.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While major facilities like Hadassah Medical Center and Sourasky Medical Center serve over 1,000,000 patients combined, AVM treatment requires specific neuro-interventional expertise. Our data reveals that Hadassah’s Dr. Samuel Moskovichi has co-authored over 65 peer-reviewed articles, signaling deep specialization in endovascular embolization. Asking for a specialist with high publication volume in your exact AVM type often leads to more definitive remote assessments.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is critical to upload high-quality imaging early to avoid travel for cases specialists find too diffuse for surgery. Many suggest cross-verifying these remote plans with local neurologists to ensure the risk assessment matches their home country's advice.