Sharon's latest CT scan encouraging
Doctors pleased with latest test, prime minister still in serious but stable condition
Doctors were pleased with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's latest CT scan, Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital said Thursday evening.
As a result of the encouraging test, a routine surgery scheduled for Thursday has been cancelled.
Sharon’s condition continues to be serious but stable, and his heart rate is normal, Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital reported earlier Thursday.
Poster of Sharon at hospital's entrance (Photo: AP)
On Wednesday sources being updated on Sharon’s treatment told Ynet that an improvement was seen in the movement of the prime minister's limbs during examinations, but he has yet to move his left leg, they said.
'It could take weeks'
The prime minister also responded more vigorously to pain stimuli, sources added.
Doctors have been reducing the levels of sedatives in the prime minister's body.
While doctors contend that the prime minister is out of danger, a senior neurosurgeon said that as long as he is hooked up to a respiratory system there is a chance of infection.
Doctors are still far from being able to assess the damage sustained by Sharon and whether he will recover fully, one of his surgeons told Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.
"We are still very far from having the ability to assess the extent of damage," Felix Umansky said. "It could weeks and even months."
Regarding Sharon's chances for a complete recovery, the surgeon added: "In some cases there's a return to full functioning, and in some cases there isn't."
Umansky noted Sharon "does not respond to verbal stimulation" such as being addressed by name.
"We do not know what kind of damage was sustained by the right lobe and whether it was completely erased or not," the doctor said.
