Dr. Ron Lamdan and the one in a million diagnosis

When you meet Dr. Ron Lamdan, Assuta Ashdod’s Director of Pediatric Orthopedics, you’ll understand right away why he’s so beloved by his young patients and their parents alike.

It’s his smile. It’s the way he explains a diagnosis and how he interacts so calmly with his patients. But beyond his impressive bedside manner, Dr. Lamdan has the experience and expertise that will put any worried parent at ease.

After Shachar Kadmon gave birth to her son, Shaked, at Assuta Ashdod, following a normal pregnancy and delivery, Dr. Lamdan was immediately called in. Shaked’s foot was five to six times larger than a normal foot.

Dr. Lamdan diagnosed Shaked with PROS, an extremely rare disorder causing overgrowth of parts of the body due to a gene mutation. Without intervention, Dr. Lamdan advised, Shachar’s beautiful baby boy would never stand up or walk.

“Often, in situations such as this, the only viable course of action is to amputate the limb,” said Dr. Lamdan. “In this case, we wanted to give Shaked a better quality of life. We decided to try and save his foot by surgically decreasing its size.” But before making that decision, Dr. Lamdan advised Shaked’s parents to seek other opinions while simultaneously, he consulted with his colleagues in the U.S. who were more experienced in treating this condition.

Shachar and her husband consulted with additional local doctors, but each one recommended the standard course of action: amputation. Shachar refused to give up, as she was confident that Shaked’s foot could be saved. “We returned to Dr. Lamdan, hoping he could figure out how to do it. He always treated Shaked with empathy and warmth.”

Due to the rarity of the procedure, Dr. Lamdan sought guidance from his medical contacts worldwide and meticulously planned every detail of the operation.

The team successfully performed the surgery on 6-month-old Shaked.

“But the surgery was not a one-time deal. Shaked will continue to come for check-ups for the rest of his life.” However, according to Dr. Lamdan, modern medicine has enabled doctors to pinpoint Shaked’s exact gene mutation. As a result, they can tailor his treatment specifically to his condition, which they expect will be ongoing.

Shaked is currently taking an experimental drug through a medical trial at another hospital to slow down the growth of his foot. And now incredibly, at 16 months, he can stand upright and push a small cart to walk independently.

Dr. Lamdan has been a part of Assuta Ashdod’s team from day one. After heading Hadassah’s pediatric orthopedic department for over 10 years, he was ready for a new adventure. Assuta Ashdod provided the perfect opportunity.

“From the very beginning at Assuta Ashdod, our goal was to work together as a team with the patients and their families. We also have a whole envelope of hospital support which includes doctors, nurses and social workers. That’s what makes this hospital so special.”

For patients like Shaked, with a one-in-a-million diagnosis, that teamwork is essential.

Shachar and Nadav Kadmon are beyond grateful.

“Our entire family thanks Dr. Lamdan and his medical team from the bottom of our hearts!”