Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Dr. Barak Rosenzweig, MD, directs the Urological Oncology Service at Sheba Medical Center. He is a uro-oncologic surgeon with nearly 20 years of experience. He treats complex urologic cancers with advanced robotic and minimally invasive methods. He is listed among Israel’s Best Doctors by Forbes.
Expertise includes tumors of the prostate, kidney, bladder, testis, and upper urinary tract. He performs robotic radical prostatectomy, kidney-sparing partial nephrectomy, and advanced laparoscopy. Diagnostics include MRI-guided fusion biopsy and imaging-based personalized planning.
He completed a Urological Oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is a Senior Physician in the Department of Urology and a Clinical Senior Lecturer at Tel Aviv University. He is a graduate of the Sheba Talpiot program. He is an active researcher with over 200 publications in urologic oncology.
Recommended minimally invasive treatments in Israel include Rezūm water vapor therapy, Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP), and Prostatic Artery Embolization (PAE). These procedures effectively reduce urinary symptoms without traditional open surgery. Major centers like Sourasky and Assuta utilize these technologies to ensure fast recovery.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli urology departments prioritize procedure volume as a quality marker. Sourasky Medical Center performs over 34,000 operations annually across departments. Specialists like Dr. Mario Sofer have led endo-urology units for over 20 years. Selecting a high-volume center often provides access to specialized equipment like the Butterfly stent not widely available elsewhere.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is important to clarify which technology is best for your prostate size. Many highlight the relief of going home same-day after steam-based treatments.
Recovery after GreenLight laser prostatectomy in Israel is typically rapid. Most patients return home within 24 hours of the procedure. Catheters are usually removed within 1 to 3 days. Light activity resumes in 3 to 5 days. Full recovery generally takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli specialists like Dr. Nir Kleinmann at Sheba Medical Center often utilize advanced laser systems for benign prostate enlargement. Data shows that prostate size impacts the timeline. Men with glands over 80g may need 6 months for full healing. Clinics like Sourasky Medical Center report high success rates using these minimally invasive techniques.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that urinary flow improves by roughly 80% within the first month. Many emphasize that symptoms like urgency often worsen briefly before significantly improving around the two-week mark.
Patients with a large prostate gland exceeding 100 mL are eligible for advanced minimally invasive procedures. Israeli medical centers offer robotic surgery and laser enucleation. These techniques effectively manage extreme enlargement. They provide durable results where standard office-based treatments may fail.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli urology centers like Sheba and Sourasky prioritize robotic or laser techniques over standard TURP for large glands. Our data shows hospitals like Sourasky perform 34,000 operations annually with high success. While private clinics like Assuta offer faster scheduling, university hospitals often house the specialized robotic equipment needed for complex, large-gland cases.
Patient Consensus: Patients with glands over 100 mL note that standard therapies like Rezum often fail to provide lasting relief. They emphasize checking if a clinic has the latest Holmium or robotic systems to ensure a one-time successful procedure.
Israeli hospitals primarily use Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation to demonstrate compliance with global medical safety standards. The Ministry of Health requires this gold-standard certification for all general hospitals. It ensures rigorous protocols for surgical safety, infection control, and professional clinical staff qualifications.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli urology departments often combine JCI safety with high-volume surgical expertise. For example, Sourasky Medical Center performs 34,000 operations annually. This high patient volume coupled with mandatory accreditation creates a reliable environment for complex prostate treatments like TURP or robotic surgery.
Patient Consensus: Patients value JCI accreditation because it represents US-level safety standards at more accessible price points. While clinical safety is consistently praised, some note that having an English-speaking advocate helps navigate administrative logistics during recovery.
Patients should plan to stay in Israel for 3 to 5 days for GreenLight or UroLift procedures. Most stay 24 hours in hospitals like Assuta Medical Center or Sourasky Medical Center. Travel is usually safe 3 days after the surgery if no complications occur.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While basic packages focus on the surgery, staying near Tel Aviv clinics like Assuta or Sourasky is strategic. These centers perform thousands of operations annually. Being close to the facility during the 48-hour recovery window allows for immediate assistance if urinary urgency peaks. This is common around day 3 for laser procedures.
Patient Consensus: Patients note that catheter removal timing is the biggest factor in staying longer. Many recommend adding 1 or 2 buffer days to ensure the first bathroom trip after catheter removal is successful before heading to the airport.
Risk levels for sexual side effects after prostate reduction surgery depend on the surgical technique used. Israeli specialists utilize nerve-sparing protocols and minimally invasive technologies. These approaches help protect sexual health. Some procedures carry a high probability of retrograde ejaculation, while others effectively preserve function.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli urology is defined by heavy academic integration, where surgeons like Dr. Zohar Dotan or Dr. Nir Kleinmann at Sheba Medical Center are also researchers with over 50 publications each. This academic focus means patients have access to advanced laser-based and organ-preserving protocols before they become standard elsewhere. Our data shows that top Israeli departments perform over 30,000 surgeries annually, ensuring doctors maintain the high volume necessary for precise nerve-sparing techniques.
Patient Consensus: Men often describe retrograde ejaculation as an expected trade-off for significant symptom relief. Many note that quality of life improves despite changes in ejaculation, provided erections remain intact.
Tel Aviv and Jerusalem house the highest concentration of high-volume BPH specialists in Israel. These hubs feature JCI-accredited centers like Sourasky Medical Center and Hadassah Medical Center. Experts here perform thousands of procedures annually. They specialize in advanced techniques like HoLEP and robotic-assisted surgery.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Tel Aviv offers a unique advantage for surgical choice. At Assuta Medical Center, patients can personally select their specific surgeon and even their preferred operation method. This level of customization is rare at large public university hospitals. It allows patients to match with high-volume experts like Prof. Haim Matskin for targeted treatments.
Patient Consensus: Patients note it is important to confirm which specific laser technology a surgeon uses. Many feel more comfortable choosing specialists who also hold senior teaching positions at universities.