One of the Golani soldiers who was injured on Sunday evening in the drone disaster received special treatment with a new drug, marking the first time it was used in Israel, Yisrael Hayom reported.

The soldier had suffered from a tear of the carotid artery in his neck. The new drug is called Kengreal, a blood thinner administered via infusion.

“Two of the injured soldiers who arrived yesterday had shrapnel wounds in their necks, with one of them having a shrapnel wound that created a hole in the carotid artery,” says Dr. David Orion, a brain catheterization specialist and the director of the Acute Stroke & Neuro-Endovascular/ Neuro-Interventional Unit and Stroke Center at Sheba Medical Center. “This is a dangerous situation because blood leaks into the neck tissues, creating a hematoma – a temporary stoppage of blood flow. The injured person is at risk of rapid deterioration because they might continue to bleed, which could lead to pressure on the airways, or the artery could become blocked, resulting in brain damage.”

“There is a need for quick repair of the artery, and this is done through the insertion of a stent, a mesh cylinder that seals the wall and closes the tear, either through the femoral artery or through the arm. However, the stent itself can cause another complication – the formation of blood clots nearby and blockage of blood vessels. Therefore, before inserting a stent, it’s necessary to give patients blood thinners. Until now, they were administered in pill form, which takes about 40 minutes to become effective.”

Kengreal, which allowed the doctors to repair the artery immediately after it was administered, likely saved the soldier’s life.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)