Pope alert and in good condition after surgery to remove part of colon
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[July 05, 2021]
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Francis
is alert, breathing without assistance, and in a good overall condition
following surgery to remove part of his colon, the Vatican said on
Monday.
The 84-year-old pope is expected to stay in hospital for seven days
barring any complications, following his three-hour operation on Sunday
night by a 10-person surgical team at Rome's Gemelli hospital, Spokesman
Matteo Bruni said in a statement.
The pope underwent a left hemicolectomy, a procedure in which one side
of the colon is removed. It was the first time the Vatican disclosed the
specific nature of the surgery.
The statement did not specify whether the decision to remove part of the
colon had been taken before or during the surgery.
The scheduled surgery was for symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the
colon, a condition in which sac-like pouches protrude from the muscular
layer of the colon, leading it to become narrow.
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Pope Francis raises his hand in greeting as he delivers the Angelus
hours before being admitted to Gemelli hospital for colon surgery,
at the Vatican, July 4, 2021. Picture taken July 4, 2021. Vatican
Media/Handout via
In addition to causing pain, the condition, which is
more common in older people, can lead to bloating, inflammation, and
difficulty in bowel movement.
(Reporting by Philip PullellaEditing by Alison Williams and Peter
Graff)
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