16/12/2025
A Winter Medical Miracle at Shaare Zedek Medical Center
In what is being described as a particularly rare medical miracle at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, an 11-year-old boy, who swallowed a set scissor blades was able to emerge from the harrowing experience without any internal injuries and without requiring surgical intervention.
The scissors passed through his body naturally under close supervision and support from the medical team at Shaare Zedek.
One night earlier this month, the boy Y arrived at the Glaubach Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Shaare Zedek after swallowing the the sharp portion of a pair of scissors.
Following an X-ray that measured the blades to be about three centimeters long and located in the stomach in an open position, pediatric surgery and pediatric gastroenterology experts were called in, including Dr. Oren Leder, who specializes in pediatric endoscopy. The decision was made that the implement represented an immediate danger to the boy and he was prepared for surgery.
With Y. already in the operating room in the final stages before the surgery would begin, an additional X-ray was performed to assess the position and condition of the scissors. Remarkably, the image revealed that the scissors had closed without any external intervention, passed through the stomach, and had reached deep into the small intestine.
“We had considerable concern that the open scissors could cause injury to the esophagus or stomach, and we wanted to perform an examination to locate and remove them,” explained Dr. Ester Orlansky-Meyer, a pediatric gastroenterology specialist at Shaare Zedek. “Miraculously and for reasons that are still unclear, we saw that the scissors had closed by themselves, significantly reducing the risk of injury to the digestive tract.”
In light of this development, and after significant consultation, it was decided not to proceed with the operation instead and he was transferred for continued close observation in the pediatric surgery department.
“Swallowing scissors by children—especially at an older age—is an extremely rare event,” says Dr. Uri Blich, a senior pediatric surgeon at Shaare Zedek. “Taking into account Y.’s good physical condition and the fact that the scissors had closed, which significantly reduced the risk for internal injury, we decided not to perform a surgical intervention, as such procedures can carry various complications.”
While under close observation in the pediatric surgery department, the medical team continued to monitor Y.’s condition and after about two days, the scissors were expelled naturally and Y.’s condition upon release from the hospital was listed as “very good” with no internal injuries.
S, Y’s. mother recalls the experience:
“At first, when Y. told me he had swallowed scissors, he was very scared. My husband and I were in shock and didn’t really believe him. He’s a sensible and mature child who understands that playing with scissors can be dangerous.
After some brief consultations, we took him to Shaare Zedek. The emergency department staff acted very quickly and admitted us right away, and after the X-ray he was taken to the operating room. The scissors closed on their own and surgery wouldn’t be needed. It’s really one huge miracle that Y wasn’t hurt at all.
To this day, we still can’t believe this happened to us or how it all occurred. Thanks to the wonderful team at Shaare Zedek, who made us so glad we came there and not to another hospital, our case ended well. I want this case to serve as a message to other parents that no matter the age, you must pay attention that children don’t put things in their mouths, especially sharp objects because this could have ended very differently.
We’re so thankful to Boreh Olam (Creator of the World), the pediatric emergency team who received us immediately, and the gastroenterology and surgery teams who were so efficient and ready to respond at such late hours.”
“Quite often, we treat children of various ages who have swallowed different objects, some of which are truly dangerous to their health,” says Talia Chernosvitov, Deputy Head Nurse in the pediatric emergency department at Shaare Zedek. “To reduce the chance of these incidents, I recommend keeping potentially dangerous items out of children’s reach, such as cleaning materials, magnets, and batteries. Even one brief moment where we’re not focused can make the difference between what seems like a simple childhood game, and an urgent trip to the emergency room that can require medical intervention that at times can be everything that’s needed to save a patient’s life.”
