Sharon Doctor: Survival Prospects Good

[FVZA_Colonel]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Israel_Sharon.html?source=mypi\


Sharon doctor: Survival prospects good

By AMY TEIBEL
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's chances of surviving his severe stroke are very high, but his ability to think and reason have been damaged, one of his surgeons said Saturday.

The 77-year-old Israeli leader remained in critical condition, though his vital signs were stable and a brain scan Saturday showed a slight reduction in swelling.

Doctors are to decide Sunday when to begin lifting Sharon's medically induced coma to examine the severity of the brain damage.

"Tomorrow is the day of truth," Dr. Jose Cohen, one of Sharon's surgeons, told Channel 2 TV. "Tomorrow we will all know if what we did for him helped him or not."





Due to the cognitive damage he suffered, it seems clear he won't be able to fulfill his duties as PM. Which begs the question: who would replace him?

[hlthe2b]

1. so, this is a good thing? I surely don't think I'd want to be saved...

and left unable to think or reason.... Perhaps it won't be as grim as that, but I find it hard to believe he'll have any quality of life. To me, that sort of takes away any thought of "medical miracle."

For his sake, I hope I'm wrong...

[Radio_Lady]

6. The man I cared about -- from thread posted last week... did not survive.

He, too, suffered a massive stroke. This was quite a handsome, well-spoken fellow with decades in radio and television. He first suffered a mini-stroke, only to have a "massive stroke" a few months later.

He passed away on Wednesday, January 4, 2005, exactly one month shy of his 81st birthday. I'm sure that's how he would have wanted it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=145&topic_id=6307

http://multimedia.realcities.com:8080/ramgen/miami/news/archive/skipper_chuck.rm

In peace, Radio_Lady

"I've Grown Accustomed to (His) Face"

[Colorado Blue]

2. I think most believe, that even if Sharon survives, his days

are PM are over.

Yet Kadima, his newly formed centrist party, has continued to show strength behind Olmert and Peres, even as Sharon lies ill. The Labor leader, Peretz, has a lot of good ideas but probably couldn't win. I don't think Likud could win either.

Thus, probably a coalition between Labor and Kadima and/or various other parties, would be the likeliest scenario if this could be worked out. I think, right now, Kadima would win about 42 seats even without Sharon.

The Parliamentary system makes the individual leader a little less important, in a way, than in our 2 party system with a specific executive branch. But to replace somebody like Sharon, with the personal popularity and charisma to pull together so many opposing points of view and actually accomplish reform - such as the withdrawal from Gaza - will be extremely difficult.

[meganmonkey]

3. Regarding his replacement

For the time being it will be his Deputy PM Ehud Olmert.
Assuming the ISraelis continue to support the Kadima party, it is quite possible that Olmert will run in the March election. That March election will ultimately determine Israel's direction for the time being... My understanding is that there really is no obvious successor, so we will need to keep an eye on what's going on for the next couple months....

[Scurrilous]

4. Doctors meet to discuss when to bring Sharon out of coma

<snip>

"Specialists at Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Karem met Sunday morning to discuss the condition and future treatment of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who was admitted to the hospital Wednesday evening after suffering a severe stroke and cerebral hemorrhage.

After their discussions, the doctors decided to send the prime minister for another CT scan. They were also to decide when to rouse Sharon from his medically induced coma.

Until the prime minister regains consciousness, it will be impossible to determine the extent to which his brain has been damaged."

more

[Scurrilous]

5. Doctor: Sharon’s stint as PM over

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3196822,00.html

<snip>

"One of Sharon's surgeons was quoted by The Associated Press as saying that Sharon's chances of survival are very high, but that his ability to think and reason would be impaired. He also ruled out the possibility of Sharon returning to serve as prime minister.

An official announcement on Sharon’s inability to perform as prime minister would apparently prompt Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to rule that he can no longer serve as prime minister.

Hadassah’s expert physicians, including Sharon’s surgeons, Felix Umansky and Jose Cohen, met to decide on the next phase in the prime minister’s treatment; Sharon was taken in for yet another CT scan following the doctor's deliberation."

<snip>

"Hadassah doctors said they may begin gradually reducing Sharon’s anesthesia dosage and eventually wake him up in order to conduct cognitive tests to determine the damage done to the prime minister’s brain."

[Scurrilous]

7. Doctors to bring Sharon out of deep sedation Monday

<snip>

"Doctors at Hadassah University Hospital said Sunday afternoon that the latest scan carried out on the brain of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon showed a "slight improvement," and doctors will try to bring him out of his medically induced coma Monday, provided there are no changes in his
condition.

Hadassah director Shlomo Mor-Yosef said, however, that Sharon is still in critical condition.

Mor-Yosef said the latest brain scan showed brain swelling had gone down, intra-cranial and blood pressure were within normal range, and that cerebral spinal fluid was draining well.

"In light of all these factors the panel of experts decided to start the process of taking him out of the sedation tomorrow morning," he said. "This all depends of course on whether the prime minister makes it until tomorrow morning without any significant incidents."


more

[hang a left]

8. I just logged on and wanted to get an update.

I thought they were going to try to take him out of his coma today. I guess we will have to wait till tomorrow to see how everything works out.

[enki23]

9. it doesn't "beg the question," but it certainly brings it to mind.

.

[Scurrilous]

10. Sources: Sharon reports too optimistic

While prime minister clings to life, senior hospital sources tell Ynet picture painted by Sharon surgeon in interview with foreign press could be interpreted to mean PM's condition better than what it is; Sharon to be brought out of induced coma Monday

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3197035,00.html

<snip>

"Reports on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's condition are "too optimistic," senior sources at Jerusalem's Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital who are familiar with the situation told Ynet Sunday evening.

An optimistic interview with one of Sharon's surgeons, Dr. Jose Cohen, described the prime minister's condition "in a manner that can lead to interpretations that the PM's condition is better than what it is in reality," one source said.

Another senior source at the hospital addressed the prime minister's prospects for recovery and said: "The improvement detected is an x-ray improvement, and until we find the clinical equivalent it's too early to express optimism."

"The improvement (Hadassah Director) Professor Mor Yosef spoke about referred to the image received by the CT scan and shows the brain's structure, but not its functioning," the source said. "Only once the effects of sedation are gone will we be able to perform neurological tests, and only they can attest to the extent of damage."