JERUSALEM – A test has shown activity in both sides of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s brain, but he remains comatose and in critical condition, Hadassah Hospital said Saturday.
Experts said the activity in both sides of the brain didn’t indicate anything about the extent of the brain damage Sharon may have suffered as a result of his Jan. 4 stroke.
“It is another piece of information that on its own means nothing,” said Dr. Gal Ifergan, a neurologist at Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva. Ifergan is not among Sharon’s doctors.
Sharon could still have extensive brain damage but show activity on both sides of his brain, Ifergan said.
“It’s very worrisome that he hasn’t woken from his coma,” he added. “Coma reflects brain damage. (But) it’s hard to talk about prospects for awakening without knowing the patient.”
The terse statement released by hospital spokeswoman Yael Bossem-Levy after the end of the Jewish Sabbath said an electroencephalogram done Friday, “showed both sides of the brain were functioning, a reflection of the prime minister’s condition.” There was no elaboration.
Earlier this week, doctors began weaning Sharon from the coma they had induced to give his brain time to heal from the stroke and the three surgeries that followed. The sedation level on Saturday was light, hospital spokesman Ron Krumer said, but he had no information on when Sharon might be totally off anesthetics.
The 77-year-old leader’s failure to wake up could be a sign that his comatose condition is due to the stroke itself and not the sedatives.
On Friday, Channel 1 TV cited one of Sharon’s neurosurgeons, Dr. Felix Umansky, as saying he was optimistic Sharon would emerge from his coma within 10 days.
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