Pope Leo XIV arrives at Rome's Gemelli hospital for lung operation, Vatican says

Pope Leo XIV visited Rome's Gemelli hospital on Tuesday for a lung operation to remove a nodule. The 71-year-old pontiff waved to well-wishers from his car window as he was driven to the renowned hospital, where he is typically treated. This marks the first time a pope has personally announced a medical procedure.

The Vatican disclosed on Sunday that the surgery would take place, marking the first time a pontiff has made a personal medical announcement of this kind. Doctors anticipate a recovery period of about a week, allowing the pope to embark on his planned 6 November trip to Latin America, which includes stops in Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.

A pulmonary nodule is a small growth of tissue in the lung, which are usually benign, but a small percentage may be an early stage of lung cancer. Most small nodules do not cause symptoms and are discovered during routine health checks, while larger nodules can lead to shortness of breath, chest pain, and persistent coughing, sometimes with blood.

The operation will be performed at Rome's Gemelli hospital under general anesthesia, with the patient breathing through a tube. Gemelli hospital, where popes are typically treated, is the largest in Rome. Pope Leo XIV's predecessor, Francis, spent weeks there for treatment prior to his death last year. John Paul II, who headed the Church from 1978 until his death in 2005, underwent nine treatments at Gemelli and spent a total of 153 days there, joking that the hospital was like "Vatican number three."

The Vatican created a top-floor apartment for the pope at the hospital, complete with a meeting room, kitchen, bathroom, rest areas, and a small chapel.