Israeli PM, Ariel Sharon, woken from coma, moves limbs

January 9, 2006

Doctors are awakening Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon out of a drug induced coma to asess the damage to his brain from a major stroke. Doctors reported that he has started to move some limbs and is breathing spontaneously on his own, but say that he is still on a respirator and still in critical condition. "In a test of (his reaction) to pain, we noticed that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon slightly moved his right arm and right leg," said Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, director of Jerusalem's Hadassah hospital. "The process of waking him out of the coma could take anywhere from several hours to several days" said Mor-Yosef.

Sharon's blood pressure rose slightly during stimulation which doctors call "a postive sign". Dr Felix Umansky, the chief neurosurgeon treating Sharon, said “Once he talks to us ... and there are no other infections I will be willing to say that he is completely out of danger."

Although he is moving and breathing spontaneously on his own, this does not give any indication as to his other physical or mental capacities.

Sharon was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday after "feeling unwell". Doctors later determined that he had a major stroke.