Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)
Israel, Tel Aviv
Dvora Blumental
30 years of experience
Clinic is certified :
| Israel | Turkey | Austria | |
| Stereotaxic radiosurgery | from $19,000 | from $4,500 | from $17,000 |
| Craniotomy | from $28,500 | from $5,650 | from $20,000 |
| Chemotherapy for breast cancer | from $22,500 | from $1,200 | from $15,000 |
| Radiation therapy for colorectal cancer | - | from $7,000 | from $12,000 |
| Halcyon | - | from $5,400 | - |
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.
Dr. Yuri Goldes is a general surgeon with more than 20 years of clinical experience. He specializes in upper gastrointestinal and oncologic surgery. He is Deputy Director of the Department of General Surgery and Transplantation at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv. He also leads the Upper GI Surgery Unit. He was named to Forbes Israel’s Best Doctors in 2025. He is ranked among Israel’s Best Gastrointestinal Surgeons by Forbes. In 2019, he received the Israeli Ministry of Health “Best Doctor of the Year” award.
He is an expert in advanced minimally invasive and robotic surgery. He treats diaphragmatic hernia, achalasia, GERD, and gallbladder disease. He also performs oncologic surgery for pancreatic, gastric, and esophageal cancers. He uses laparoscopic and robotic techniques.
He pioneered some of Israel’s first robotic oncologic resections of the stomach and pancreas. He is among a small group worldwide who perform minimally invasive Whipple procedures (pancreaticoduodenectomy) using advanced laparoscopy. He applies methods that improve outcomes and speed recovery. He provides personalized care.
900+ procedures performed – Dr. Blumental is a highly experienced neuro-oncologist and director of the Neuro-oncology Service at Sourasky Medical Center.
Dr. Felix Bokstein leads the Neurooncology Clinic at Ichilov – one of Israel's largest and most advanced hospitals, focusing specifically on brain tumors.
Israeli neuro-oncology centers prioritize multimodal treatment for astrocytoma. Primary methods include high-precision surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, and targeted chemotherapy. Facilities like Sheba Medical Center use intraoperative MRI and brain mapping to ensure maximum safe resection while preserving neurological function for complex brain tumors.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centers like Sourasky report a 90% success rate in oncology treatments. This performance often stems from high surgical volumes. For example, Assuta Medical Center performs 92,000 operations annually. This experience allows surgeons to refine techniques like image-guided resection and intraoperative MRI, which are crucial for treating deep-seated astrocytomas effectively.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize the importance of molecular profiling before starting therapy. They often find that awake brain mapping provides peace of mind during aggressive tumor removals.
Israeli hospitals like Sourasky Medical Center and Sheba Medical Center lead neuro-oncology with specialized astrocytoma programs. These facilities hold JCI accreditation and utilize intraoperative MRI and brain mapping. Expert surgeons often specialize in high-precision resections and advanced molecular profiling for personalized care.
Bookimed Expert Insight: While prestige is high at major centers, patients find maximum value in comprehensive craniotomy packages. For instance, Sheba Medical Center offers all-inclusive bundles. These cover 7 days of hospitalization and 10 days of hotel stay for approximately $35,000. This structure is rare in private facilities and simplifies long-term recovery planning.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize finding surgeons with high-volume resection experience. They recommend confirming if molecular profiling like IDH or MGMT is available before starting travel for treatment.
Israeli surgeons use real-time mapping and imaging to achieve maximal safe resection of brain tumors. They combine awake craniotomy with intraoperative MRI to verify tumor removal before closing. These techniques protect speech and motor pathways while ensuring surgical precision within JCI-accredited facilities.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli neurosurgery stands out because top specialists often hold international leadership roles. For example, Dr. Zvi Ram at Sourasky Medical Center led the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies. Choosing a department head like Dr. Zvi Cohen at Sheba Medical Center ensures access to proprietary tumor tissue banks for personalized drug research.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize that awake surgery feels less intimidating when surgeons explain they are monitoring speech in real-time. Many note that intensive neuro-rehabilitation starts immediately after surgery to help regain motor function quickly.
Israel offers highly specialized pediatric care for childhood astrocytoma through dedicated neuro-oncology programs. JCI-accredited centers like Sourasky and Sheba employ multidisciplinary teams of pediatric neurosurgeons and oncologists. These facilities serve thousands of children yearly. They utilize advanced image-guided tumor resection and intraoperative MRI navigation.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli pediatric centers show a unique pattern of high-volume specialization that impacts outcomes. Hadassah and Soroka combined treat over 30,000 children annually. This massive volume ensures teams are experts in rare pediatric mutations. For astrocytoma, look for surgeons like Dr. Zvi Cohen. He founded a specific brain tumor tissue bank to improve personalized treatment.
Patient Consensus: Families emphasize finding centers with pediatric neuro-oncology fellowships to ensure age-appropriate care. Many suggest using telemedicine for a second opinion to compare Israeli protocols with local options.
Advanced astrocytoma treatment in Israel utilizes high-precision technologies like intraoperative MRI and stereotaxic radiosurgery. These tools allow surgeons to maximize tumor removal while protecting vital brain functions. Leading centers integrate AI-driven imaging and personalized immunotherapy to target cancer cells without damaging healthy tissue.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centers like Sourasky often report high success rates because they combine neurosurgery with immediate histopathology revision. For instance, Dr. Zvi Cohen at Sheba Medical Center uses image-guided resection to improve outcomes in complex cases. This integration of pathology and surgical guidance ensures that treatment plans are adjusted while the patient is still in the operating room.
Patient Consensus: Patients often note that having a dedicated nutritionist and 24-hour nursing care during their hospital stay significantly eases the physical stress of recovery. They also emphasize that receiving a detailed treatment plan before traveling helps manage expectations for complex brain surgeries.
Patients can obtain a remote second opinion from Israeli neuro-oncologists through structured telemedicine programs. Leading hospitals like Hadassah, Sheba, and Sourasky (Ichilov) offer video consultations for astrocytoma. These reviews use your MRI or PET-CT scans to confirm diagnoses and refine treatment plans without international travel.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centers like Sourasky (Ichilov) report a 90% success rate in oncology treatments. This performance often stems from their integration of telemedicine into early diagnosis. Choosing a hospital that handles over 1,000,000 yearly patients, such as Hadassah, ensures your second opinion comes from a specialist with high-volume clinical experience.
Patient Consensus: Patients mention it is important to have all imaging files uploaded in high quality before the call. They note that having a clear report in English helps their local doctors implement new treatment recommendations quickly.
Israel hosts world-renowned astrocytoma specialists chairing international neurosurgical societies and leading multi-disciplinary centers. Experts like Dr. Zvi Ram and Dr. Zvi Cohen specialize in complex resections using intraoperative MRI and brain mapping. These JCI-accredited facilities maintain specialized neuro-oncology units for advanced pharmaceutical and surgical care.
Bookimed Expert Insight: Israeli oncology centers like Sourasky report a 90% average success rate for tumor treatments. While many seek specific surgeons, the data shows these specialists operate within high-volume departments treating 1,800,000 patients annually. Choosing a clinic with an established brain tumor tissue bank, like Sheba, can offer better access to personalized drug research.
Patient Consensus: Patients emphasize the need for full molecular profiling, including IDH and MGMT status, before finalizing a surgeon. They note that top-ranked Israeli specialists are highly accessible for virtual second opinions before traveling abroad.