"The surgery and general anesthesia were carried out without complications. The Holy Father reacted well to the surgery", these are the reassuring words released by the Holy See after the intervention performed on the Pope on Wednesday evening, June 7.
The Pope Francis had entered that same morning, at the conclusion of the General Hearing, to undergo surgery due to a "laparocele incarcerated in the scar from previous laparotomic interventions performed in past years".
The communication from the Holy See after the operation emphasizes that "this laparocele had been causing the Holy Father a painful intestinal subocclusive syndrome for several months".
Development of the operation
Also, "during surgery, tenacious adhesions were found between some partially congested middle intestinal loops and the parietal peritoneum causing the aforementioned symptoms.
Therefore, the adhesions were released (internal healing) with complete debridement of the entire tenacious skein. The hernial defect was then repaired by plastic surgery of the abdominal wall with the aid of a prosthetic mesh".
Numerous medical teams
The medical intervention was carried out by a large medical team, which the Vatican note wanted to report in full. The operation was directed by Dr. Sergio Alfieri, Director of the Department of Abdominal and Endocrine-Metabolic Medical-Surgical Sciences of the Gemelli Hospital. He was joined by Dr. Valerio Papa, Dr. Roberta Menghi, Dr. Antonio Tortorelli and Dr. Giuseppe Quero. Papa, Dr. Roberta Menghi, Dr. Antonio Tortorelli and Dr. Giuseppe Quero.
The operation was performed under general anesthesia by Prof. Massimo Antonelli, Director of the Department of Emergency Sciences, Anesthesiology and Resuscitation, assisted by Dr. Teresa Sacco, Dr. Paola Aceto and Dr. Maurizio Soave and Dr. Giuseppina Annetta for the placement of the central vascular access.
Also present in the operating room were Prof. Giovanni Battista Doglietto, Director of the Health Care Fund, and Dr. Luigi Carbone, Physician of the Health and Hygiene Directorate of the Vatican City State".
Good feedback and thanks for prayers
The Holy See stated at the end of the note that "the surgery and the general anesthesia were carried out without complications. The Holy Father reacted well to the surgery".
The good progress of the operation and the fact that the Pope is conscious are good news for the development of the recovery of the Holy Father who will still spend several days in hospital. The papal agenda has been cleared for the next 10 days.
The note also highlighted Pope Francis' gratitude for "the numerous messages of closeness and prayer that have reached him from the very beginning".
