Officials in Shaare Zedek Medical Center report that Maran Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita remains in critical/stable condition at this hour, his 10th day in a cardiac intensive care unit.

The rav this morning, Wednesday, 22 Shevat 5772 successfully underwent a procedure to secure a long-term airway, an alternative to the intubation that has provided a patent airway for the gadol hador during past days. The tracheotomy was performed successfully and the rav is recovering.

The rav�s medical team is now deciding if they should bring the gadol hador out of the medically induced coma, a decision that is expected sometime on erev Shabbos.

The tzibur is requested to continue being mispallel for Rav Yosef Sholom ben Chaya Musha b�soch kol cholei am yisrael.

(YWN � Israel Desk, Jerusalem)