Pope Francis will reportedly have surgery for an abdominal hernia in Rome after he complained of stomach pains. The procedure is set to take place on Wednesday, according to the Vatican. Following the surgery, Francis is expected to remain in the hospital for a few more days.
The 86-year-old is apparently going to be put under anesthesia, given that his medical team noted that the pontiff would need surgery to address a “recurrent, painful and worsening” constriction of the intestine, per Daily Mail.
The Vatican said: “The stay at the health facility will last several days to allow for the normal postoperative course and full functional recovery.” The Gemelli hospital, where the procedure is set to take place, was dubbed “Vatican 3” by Pope John Paul II, who had a total of nine procedures there, spending 153 days there.
The procedure comes after the pontiff had 13 inches of his colon removed just two years ago, after inflammation and a shrinking of the large intestine. However, it appeared that the pope was doing well on Wednesday morning, as he cruised around in the popemobile, greeting those present with a smile and wave.
The Daily Mail has noted that Francis has struggled with health issues since he was in his twenties, when he contracted pleurisy. The severe condition creates inflammation of the tissue between the lungs and the ribcage. The condition was so severe that he almost died because of it, which resulted in having to have pulmonary cysts and a small part of his upper right lung removed.
