The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis, aged 86, will undergo an emergency surgery under general anesthesia on Wednesday afternoon in Rome to prevent intestinal blockage.
In a statement, Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, stated that the Pope, who underwent colon surgery in 2021, is suffering from a hernia that causes recurring, painful, and worsening symptoms.
This comes after a brief visit to Gemelli Hospital in Rome on Tuesday, during which the Vatican announced that he underwent tests. The surgical intervention, deemed “necessary” by his medical team due to the worsening of the Pope’s symptoms, will require him to stay in the hospital for “several days.”
Bruni explained that “early in the afternoon, he will undergo an abdomen opening surgery and abdominal wall surgery… under general anesthesia.”