Vatican City, June 8 (EFE).- Pope Francis spent a quiet night and is in good condition after undergoing abdominal surgery at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, the Vatican reported on Thursday.
The 86-year-old pope was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on Wednesday to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall.
“The medical staff following the post-operative progress of the Pontiff reports that Pope Francis spent a quiet night, managing to rest for a long time; he is in good overall condition, and is alert and breathing on his own,” Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni said.
“The routine follow-up examinations are good. He will take the necessary post-operative rest for the whole day,” the statement added.
“The Pope has been made aware of the messages of closeness and affection that have arrived in the last few hours, and has expressed his gratitude, while at the same time asking for continued prayers,” it concluded.
The Holy See will report on the state of the pope’s health again throughout the day.
Sergio Alfieri, the doctor who operated on Pope Francis and also led the medical team that conducted his colon surgery in July 2021, reported on Wednesday that the intervention had gone well and that Francis was alert and cracking jokes after the intervention.
Talking to reporters at the Gemelli hospital, Alfieri said that a hernia, caused by scar tissue from past surgeries, had been successfully repaired and that it was not an emergency operation.
Alfieri reiterated that both during this procedure and the last, in 2021, nothing malignant was found, nor were other pathologies or illnesses revealed, according to the Vatican News site.
The doctor added that the pope would require seven days in the hospital to recover from the surgery and that due to the pontiff’s age, the medical team was taking all necessary precautions.
The Vatican has provisionally canceled all audiences and events in the Pope’s diary until June 18. EFE
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