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| Israeli police officers stand guard in front of the entrance to the emergency room at the Hadassah Ein Karem hospital, where Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is hospitalized, in Jerusalem, early January 5, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters) | JERUSALEM, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was returned to the operating room Thursday morning after a six-hour operation for cerebral hemorrhaging to stop additional areas of cerebral bleeding.
Professor Shlomo Mor-Yosef, Director General of the
Hadassah Hospital, said that the first operation had apparently stopped the
hemhorraging, but a CT scan showed "extensive" bleeding in additional areas.
The further surgery was expected to last another
several hours, he said.
Mor-Yosef explained that the prime minister was, of
course, under general anesthesia and receiving artificial respiration during the
procedure. "The situation is grave," Mor-Yosef stated. Sharon suffered a massive
brain hemhorrage late Wednesday, which caused extensive cerebral bleeding.
A short while after one hour in the early morning
Thursday, Sharon's personal physician, Dr. Shlomo Segev told reporters, "The
prime minister is in surgery. The surgery is going as planned. We need to be
patient. I have nothing else to add." PM's spokesman Raanan Gissin said that
"once the operation ends, the public will be notified. Until then, I suggest not
to engage in speculation."
According to a medical expert, the procedure is life
threatening. Asked what are the chances of surviving this type of surgery, the
doctor replied, "Let's be optimistic, some people survive it."
The prime minister's close associates said of his
condition: "Hope for a miracle."
Justice Ministry spokesman Ya'acov Galant said that a
prime minister legally remains in his post only as long as he is capable of
making decisions. Since Sharon is not conscious after suffering from what
doctors termed "a serious stroke," his powers and prerogatives were transferred
to his deputy, Finance Minister Ehud Olmert.
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| Raanan Gisin (C), an advisor to Ariel Sharon, is interviewed at the Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Jan. 5, 2006. (Xinhua photo) | Olmert will convene a special cabinet meeting on
Thursday morning in order to brief the ministers on the temporary transfer of
powers.
It appears that initially, Sharon's condition was not
as severe. According to well-placed sources, there were two deteriorations, the
first just prior to the arrival at Hadassah and the second, upon entering the
trauma unit.
While on his way to the hospital, Sharon's spokesmen
claimed that the prime minister was conscious and able to speak, but had
complained that he was suffering from weakness and "felt ill."The prime minister
initially complained of feeling chest pressure and pain.
Two Sharon associates said the prime minister was
feeling unwell at his Negev ranch, and following a discussion with his personal
doctor, decided to be taken to the hospital. He could have been taken to the
closer Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, but it was decided to take him to the
further Jerusalem hospital, where he was to have a pre-scheduled catheterization
on Thursday. Enditem |
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