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.
Israel offers advanced surgical options including MR-guided laser ablation, deep brain stimulation (DBS), and robotic-assisted resections. Major JCI-accredited centres like Sourasky Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center use ROSA robotic systems and MRgLITT. These procedures target the seizure focus with sub-millimetre precision to improve survival and quality of life.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While many centres offer basic resections, Israel's top facilities like Sourasky provide multi-tier robotic options. Their ROSA robotic system packages, starting around A$49,000, allow for safer access to deep brain structures. This high-tech approach is why Israel maintains a global rank of 7 for medical outcomes in complex neurosurgery.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Israel note that diagnosis involves a slow, staged process of sleep EEG and specialized MRI. They emphasise that while neuromodulation reduces seizure frequency, medication is often still required for most cases.
Israeli clinics verify an epilepsy diagnosis through a multi-modal evaluation designed to eliminate misdiagnosis. Specialists at JCI-accredited centres like Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) use high-resolution 3-Tesla MRI protocols and long-term video-EEG monitoring. These protocols confirm the seizure type and pinpoint the exact electrical focus in the brain.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli specialists often identify misdiagnosis in 30% of referred international cases. This accuracy stems from neuroradiologists re-examining raw DICOM files rather than relying on text reports. At centres like Sourasky, diagnostics often include pharmacogenetic studies to predict which medications will actually work.
Patient Consensus: Patients find that providing a one-page summary and raw video footage of seizures helps doctors in Israel quickly confirm their diagnosis. Those visiting Tel Aviv appreciate that surgeons like Dr Uri Kramer have treated over 7,000 children, making the process feel very personal.
International patients seek epilepsy second opinions in Israel to refine diagnoses and explore surgical alternatives for drug-resistant cases. Leading centres like Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) use robotic ROSA systems and MR-guided laser therapy. Specialist expertise helps correct seizure classifications and optimise medication mapping for complex adult and paediatric cases.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli neurosurgery stands out because top specialists often hold dual appointments at elite US institutions like Yale or Stanford. For example, Dr Itzhak Fried at Sourasky teaches at UCLA while performing surgeries in Tel Aviv. This link ensures Australian patients receive American-level surgical protocols at local Israeli prices, which can be around A$47,000 to A$80,500.
Patient Consensus: Patients travel to Israel when local diagnoses remain unclear or medication fails to stop seizures. They value how quickly coordinators organise everything in Tel Aviv, often within days, and appreciate the expertise of specialists like Dr Veronika Chernuha.
Israel manages paediatric epilepsy through specialised neuropediatric units separate from adult neurology departments. Treatment focuses on preserving cognitive growth and development. Doctors use age-specific diagnostic pathways, distinct medication protocols, and surgical techniques tailored specifically to the developing brain of younger patients.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli specialists prioritise early surgical intervention for drug-resistant cases in children to prevent developmental delays. Data shows top experts like Dr Uri Kramer at Sourasky Medical Center lead clinical trials in medical cannabis for paediatric syndromes. This level of research is rarely applied to adult cases, where the focus stays on focal resections.
Patient Consensus: Parents in Israel note that treatment involves much more than just stopping seizures. It focuses heavily on schooling, behaviour, and development. They find the staff at Sourasky Medical Center friendly and responsive, which helps when managing the complex emotional reality of a child's diagnosis.
Leading Israeli medical centres for epilepsy include Sourasky Medical Center, Sheba Medical Center, and Hadassah Medical Center. These JCI-accredited facilities specialise in drug-resistant cases. They use ROSA robotic systems and MR-guided laser therapy to treat seizures with sub-millimetre precision and high success rates.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Data shows Sourasky Medical Center is a primary choice for complex cases due to Dr Strauss Ido. He is a world-renowned expert in functional neurosurgery and ROSA robotic systems. While Sheba offers competitive DBS pricing around A$69,000, Sourasky provides more varied surgical approaches like MRgLITT.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Israel value the speed of document preparation and the availability of English-speaking coordinators. Many emphasize the professional nature of medical consultations and the responsiveness of hospital staff during their stay.
Epilepsy surgery recovery in Israel typically involves 1 to 5 days in hospital. Patients generally return to light activities within 2 to 6 weeks. Full tissue healing and cognitive recovery often take several months. Specific timelines depend on the neurosurgical approach used.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While hospital stays are brief, Israeli epilepsy packages often include 5 to 14 nights in a nearby hotel for mandatory monitoring. This is crucial because medication adjustments and seizure-detecting assessments happen during this window. At centres like Sourasky, Dr Strauss Ido uses robotic systems to reduce surgical trauma, but the extended hotel stay ensures safety before the flight home.
Patient Consensus: Patients in Israel find physical healing quick, but suggest having help at home for the first few weeks due to deep exhaustion. Many note that managing medication changes and brain fog is more challenging than the actual surgical pain.