Pope Francis to undergo abdominal surgery at Rome hospital

Pope Francis is set to undergo abdominal surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Wednesday afternoon. The Vatican stated that the 86-year-old pontiff will remain in the hospital for several days to recover from the hernia operation. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni noted that the hernia has been causing “recurrent, painful and worsening” symptoms for the Pope.

“In the early afternoon he will undergo a laparotomy and abdominal wall surgery… under general anaesthesia,” Bruni said, adding, “The stay at the health facility will last several days to allow the normal post-operative course and full functional recovery.”

The Pope has faced numerous health issues in recent years, relying on a cane and a wheelchair due to a persistent knee problem. On Tuesday, he visited the same Rome hospital for a scheduled check-up, following a hospitalisation for bronchitis months earlier. In March, he spent three days in the hospital to treat a lung infection, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of his pontificate.

In 2021, Pope Francis underwent a 10-day hospital stay to have part of his colon removed, addressing a painful bowel condition. Last month, he cancelled his Friday audiences due to a fever. However, the Pope has dismissed the possibility of leaving office, as his predecessor Benedict XVI did in 2013. He reportedly told an aide last year, “You don’t run the Church with a knee but with a head.”

Despite his health challenges, Pope Francis continues to maintain a busy schedule, with planned visits to Portugal and Mongolia in August.