The head of the Catholic Church Pope Francis was in “good general condition” Thursday, alert and breathing on his own, after 3 hours operation to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the Vatican said.
The Vatican said in a statement. The Argentine who is 86-year-old rested “extensively” during a peaceful night at Rome’s Gemelli hospital and was spending his first full day after the surgery observing the “necessary post-operative rest,”
“The pope is informed of the messages of closeness and affection that have come in the last few hours and expresses his gratitude, while asking for continued prayers for him,” the statement said.
Francis was admitted to Gemelli on Wednesday for his second major abdominal operation in two years, following a 2021 procedure to remove part of his colon. During the procedure, doctors removed adhesions, or internal scarring, on the intestine that had caused a partial blockage. They also repaired a hernia that had formed over a previous scar, placing a prosthetic mesh in the abdominal wall.