JERUSALEM, 27 July 2006 — Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was rushed to the intensive care unit of a Tel Aviv hospital yesterday to undergo a form of kidney dialysis, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Sharon’s condition had deteriorated significantly earlier in the week, when officials at the Sheba Medical Center announced the former leader’s kidneys were failing and that they had noticed changes in his brain membrane.
Sharon, 78, has been in a coma since suffering a massive stroke on Jan. 4.
Sharon’s blood will be filtered to remove excess fluids that have been accumulating in his body as a result of the kidney failure, the hospital said. He is also receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a bacterial infection in his blood.
Hospital spokeswoman Anat Dolev declined to answer further questions.
Dr. John Martin, a professor of cardiovascular medicine at London’s University College, said the infection in Sharon’s blood indicates his immune system is weak, and the problem could damage other vital organs, such as the liver.
Normally, doctors do not treat patients in Sharon’s condition, Martin said. However, the dialysis and antibiotics could keep Sharon alive for weeks or even months, he said.
