Jerusalem ? Doctors inserted a feeding tube in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s stomach on Wednesday, according to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital, where he is being treated for a massive stroke.

Sharon, 77, has been in a coma since he suffered a stroke on Jan. 4 and the stomach procedure was further evidence that he is likely to be incapacitated for a long time.

Long-term care specialists and a U.S. authority on comatose patients have examined Sharon in recent days. Experts say his chances of regaining consciousness or a meaningful level of activity are slim.

“Tonight Prime Minister Ariel Sharon underwent a gastrostomy, a process in which a tube is inserted into the stomach for feeding,” the statement said. “The prime minister’s condition continues to be critical and stable.”