The 84-year-old Pope has to have an operation on his bowel. In his lunchtime address in St. Peter’s Square, he had not mentioned the operation.
Vatican City – On Sunday evening, Pope Francis underwent an intestinal operation in the Gemelli clinic in Rome. The intervention went well, the Vatican announced late on Sunday evening. During the operation, a narrowing of the large intestine was removed in the 84-year-old man under general anesthesia. It has not been confirmed whether the operation was performed laparoscopically, i.e. non-invasively. The attending senior physician, Sergio Alfieri, is an expert in the field.
Pope Francis did not mention surgery: five days in hospital
The head of general surgery at the Gemelli Clinic Alfieri is a specialist in digestive organ surgery. The Pope’s personal physician, Roberto Bernabei, was also present at the operation, according to the announcement. A possible time for the discharge has not yet been mentioned. According to media reports, Francis has to stay in the hospital for at least five days.
In his noon address in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis did not mention the hospital stay and instead announced a trip to Slovakia and a visit to Budapest for September. According to observers, he went to the clinic immediately after the speech. In a first communication on Sunday afternoon, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni spoke of “symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the intestine”.
Well-being wishes and greetings for Pope Francis
This is a narrowing of the large intestine that can lead to constipation or intestinal obstruction. In the worst case, it could lead to intestinal perforation, a breakthrough, and thus to peritonitis. Depending on the severity of the incident and the number of narrowed diverticula (protrusions) in the colon, hospitalization can take a few days.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella had already sent the head of the church wellbeing and greetings on behalf of all Italians during a state visit to France in the afternoon. (ktho / kna)
List of rubric lists: © Alessandra Tarantino / dpa
