Vatikan: Papst an Lunge operiert - Bulletin am Abend erwartet

Pope Leo XIV underwent lung surgery at a hospital near Rome, the Gemelli Clinic, which is known as the Vatican's clinic. This news came two days after he announced a lump was discovered in his lung. The operation took place at the Gemelli Clinic in Rome, a hospital that has treated previous popes, most recently Pope Francis. The Vatican initially provided no details about the operation, but a medical bulletin was expected to be released later that evening.

Pope Leo arrived at the hospital in a black car with a police escort. He was greeted by many well-wishers both outside and inside the hospital. The first American Pope, whose full name is Robert Francis Prevost, appeared confident during his hospital visit. Pope Leo's openness about his health issue contrasted with past popes who usually kept their health conditions under wraps until they became obvious.

The Vatican had previously kept the health status of its leaders confidential, doing so until the illnesses were obvious or in some cases even then. It was known that Pope Leo maintained his health through activities like tennis, swimming, and gymnastics. The cause of a lump in the lung can vary, ranging from past infections or inflammation to benign growths or even lung cancer or metastases from a tumor in another part of the body.

The definitive diagnosis of whether the lump is benign or malignant usually requires a biopsy of the tissue. While official confirmation about the type of surgery Pope Leo was undergoing was not provided, the Pope's medical team, led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, operated on him in a procedure to remove a single lung lump. In general, such procedures carry minimal risk, but this depends on the size of the operation and the overall health of the lungs and heart.

Pope Leo is expected to need about a week to recover from the surgery. The Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, had previously stated that Pope Leo would require approximately a week to recover after the operation. The Gemelli Clinic has a special ward designated for papal stays, though Leo was not admitted to the papal room due to renovations.

Because of the hospital stay, all of Pope Leo's audiences were canceled until at least October 20th, including a Wednesday session at St. Peter's Square prior to an international bishops' conference on marriage and the family in Vatican City. In November, Pope Leo has a nearly two-week trip planned to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru.

Peru was the site of his previous service as a missionary and bishop. One of the stops on his journey will be the city of Cusco, which sits at an elevation of 3,400 meters. Some visitors to high elevations experience breathing difficulties and altitude sickness.