Doctor: PM will likely survive
Ray of hope: One of Sharon's surgeons tells Channel 2 likelihood of prime minister staying alive 'very high'; earlier, hospital director tells reporters latest CT scan shows slight improvement, PM's condition still life-threatening
Optimistic remarks: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's chances of survival are "very high", one of the PM's surgeons said in an interview with Israel's Channel 2 Saturday evening.
"Today is better than yesterday. The feeling is a little more optimistic, more than yesterday," Jose Cohen said in the interview. "Tomorrow (Sunday) is the day of truth, tomorrow we'll know whether everything we did really helped him (Sharon) or not."
Praying for Sharon at the Western Wall (Photo: AFP)
"I'm very cautious, I saw cases like this too many times and I can say there are patients who didn't survive and patients who went back to their jobs," Cohen added. "You see, the variety of options is so wide it is difficult to form an impression on his (Sharon's) conditions at this stage."
Responding to a question about Sharon's prospects of survival, the doctor said: "I think they are very high now, very high. I'm rather optimistic on this front. We're praying there are no complications, such as infections – the fear of any patient who is hospitalized for a long time."
'Cat scan showed light improvement'
Sharon's latest CT scan showed a "slight improvement," but the PM's condition is still serious and life-threatening, Hadassah Hospital Director Shlomo Bar Yosef told reporters during a press conference Saturday evening.
"As human beings, we're optimistic people, but we cannot say the prime minister is out of danger," the hospital director cautioned. "His condition is still serious."
All other medical parameters examined by doctors are in order and point to the stability in Sharon's condition Mor Yosef said, adding that the latest test showed the left side of prime minister's brain also appeared to be in order.
Mor Yosef noted Hadassah experts will meet Sunday morning to discuss the prime minister's treatment for the next 24 hours.
Mor Yosef briefs reporters Saturday (Footage: Channel 2)
"As you know, part of the treatment plan is deep sedation. The final decision on when to wake him (Sharon) and examine the various functions of the brain will be taken during the morning session," he said.
"The hospital team is fighting together with the prime minister and his family to save his life," Mor Yosef added. "I would like to note with satisfaction the support offered by the responsible medical community in Israel. Hospital directors called me and all offered their encouragement in the main mission: Saving the prime minister's life. That's what we're busy doing."
