Pope Francis doing well after surgery

Pope Francis is doing well after undergoing a surgical operation on Sunday, the Vatican announced late in the afternoon on the same day.

“Admitted in the afternoon to the A. Gemelli Hospital, the Holy Father underwent surgery in the evening for a diverticular stenosis of the colon,” said Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office.

“The Holy Father reacted well to the surgery done under general anesthesia,” he added.

Bruni said the procedure was done by three other surgeons and three physicians.

Colonic stricture, also called stenosis, is a condition in which part of the large intestine becomes narrower than usual. It can become dangerous if it is too narrow to let food safely pass through.

Diverticulitis, a common condition that involves the formation of small bulges or sacs on the wall of the colon, can cause the stricture.

Recovery from diverticulitis surgery typically includes a hospital stay of up to a week and at least another two weeks of limited activity.

Pope Francis last underwent an operation in 2019, for cataracts.

Early this year, the 84-year-old pontiff was forced to miss several public events due to a recurrence of the sciatic pain that struck him at the end of 2020.

The pope has suffered from the painful condition for a number of years.

Generally healthy, at the beginning of 2020, the pope canceled some of his public audiences due to having a cold. – with a report from LiCAS and CNA