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Francis Went to hospital on Wednesday for abdominal surgery to treat an intestinal blockage, two years after he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed due to a narrowing of his large intestine.
Francis, 86, will undergo general anesthesia on Wednesday afternoon and will stay in Rome’s Gemelli hospital for several days, the Vatican said.
Francis’ Fiat 500 was escorted out of the Vatican shortly after 11 a.m. and arrived in Gemini about 20 minutes later.
The Pope is undergoing what the Vatican described as “a laparotomy and abdominoplasty with prosthetics” for a “recurring, painful and worsening” bowel contraction.
A laparotomy is surgery that opens the abdomen. It helps surgeons diagnose and treat problems. Francis suffered from obstructed abdominal fluid, a hernia that had formed over a previous scar, the statement said.
“The stay at the medical facility will last a few days to allow for normal postoperative course and full functional recovery,” the statement said. No update is expected until after the surgery.
Francis remains in charge of the Vatican and the 1.3 billion-strong Catholic Church, even while unconscious and hospitalized.
In July 2021, Francis spent 10 days at Gemelli and had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of large intestine removed. He suffered what the Vatican said was severe inflammation and a narrowing of his colon. In an interview with the Associated Press In January, Francis said the diverticular disease, or bulge in the bowel wall that prompted his surgery in 2021, had returned.
Francis emerged from the 2021 surgery saying he could eat whatever he wanted, but lamented his poor response to the general anesthesia used in the procedure, which took longer than expected. That reaction partly explains his refusal to undergo surgery to repair torn knee ligaments that have forced him to use a wheelchair and walker for more than a year.
The fact that he’s going back for surgery suggests he has no choice but to deal with his gut issues, especially given the stringent travel schedule ahead of him this summer.
The Argentine pope had part of his lung removed as a young man. He also suffers from sciatica. In late March, Francis spent three days at Gemelli with acute bronchitis, during which time he was treated with intravenous antibiotics. He showed up on April 1, saying “Alive!”
Francis originally traveled to Gemini on Tuesday for what the Vatican said was a medical exam. It did not reveal any details at the time.
The 86-year-old was well behaved in front of an audience in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday morning, speeding around the square in his papal limousine to greet the faithful. He also held two previous meetings, the Vatican said.
Francis has a busy schedule recently, with many viewers every day. The Vatican recently confirmed a travel-packed August, with the Holy See and Italy usually on vacation, with a four-day visit to Portugal in the first week of August and a similarly extended trip to Mongolia starting August 31 .
The Vatican on Tuesday released the planned itinerary for Francis’ visit to Portugal for World Youth Day events from August 2-6, suggesting the trip went well. The itinerary confirmed a typically busy schedule that included all protocol meetings for an official state visit as well as several activities with young people and a day trip to the Marian Shrine of Fatima.
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