Vatican confirms Pope Francis is ‘recovering’ in hospital following operation
Pope Francis is recovering from a three-hour operation to repair a hernia and is ‘alert’ and ‘well’, the Vatican has confirmed.
It is the second time he has been in hospital since 2021, which this morning sparked fresh health concerns.
The 86-year-old held his usual general audience in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, today before he was driven off in white Fiat 500 to Gemelli Hospital.
He also spent time at the same hospital on Tuesday in what was described as a ‘routine check up’, which was in fact a pre-operation visit.
Despite the successful surgery, all of his audiences have been cancelled until June 18.
A Vatican statement said he was expected to stay for ‘a number of days’ to allow for ‘normal post-operation progress and full recovery of his functions’.
The statement went on to detail the operation was necessary to repair a laparocele, a hernia that sometimes forms over a scar usually resulting from a previous surgery.
It said he had undergone a laparotomy, or open abdominal surgery, and a prosthesis was used to reconstruct the abdominal wall.
It is more common in older people and it can also be caused by obesity or weakness of the abdominal wall muscles.
His medical team decided operation was needed because the condition was causing painful, intestinal occlusions.
Last time he had an operation in 2021 he had part of his colon removed in an operation aimed at addressing a painful bowel condition called diverticulitis.
The condition returned earlier this year and is affecting his weight.
Francis was treated for five days at the same hospital at the end of March for a lung infection and last month skipped audiences for a day due to a fever.
Despite a temporary cancellation of audiences, he plans to visit Mongolia on August 31 – September 4, one of the more remote places he has travelled to.
Before that he will visit Portugal from August 2 to 6 to attend the World Youth Day in Lisbon and visit the Shrine of Fatima.
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