Pope Francis to have abdominal surgery and to stay in hospital for several days

Rome
CNN
—

The Vatican announced Wednesday that the latest health concern for 86-year-old Pope Francis is that he will undergo abdominal surgery and stay in a hospital in Rome for several days.

The pope was forced to cancel several jobs in late May after debilitating fever and was hospitalized with bronchitis in March, but has responded well to antibiotics.

Francis, who was discharged from the hospital at the time, joked that he was still alive.

Wednesday’s operation, technically called a laparotomy, requires general anesthesia and is intended to repair a hernia that is causing “recurring, painful and worsening” symptoms, according to the Vatican.

Medical sources said the intervention was likely related to Francisco’s surgery to remove half of his colon in 2021.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni added that the Pope is expected to make a “full functional recovery”.

In addition to colon surgery two years ago, Francis had part of one lung removed after suffering from severe pneumonia as a young man. Most recently, in 2019, he underwent eye surgery at the Pope Pius XI Clinic in Rome to treat cataracts. He also suffered from chronic sciatica.

Over the past year, he has experienced knee problems that have mostly forced him to use a cane or a wheelchair.

The Vatican could face something of a constitutional crisis if Francis becomes incapacitated for a long period of time. In the Catholic Church, there is no such thing as a “vice pope,” which means a person who can exercise papal authority in the absence of the pope.

The Vatican Secretary of State, now Cardinal Pietro Parolin of Italy, can oversee day-to-day administration, but has no authority to, for example, appoint bishops or create or control dioceses around the world.

Francisco said in an interview with Spanish daily ABC in December that he had already prepared a letter of resignation against permanent medical incapacity shortly after being elected in 2013.