{
  "id": 14188739,
  "title": "Pope Leo XIV arrives at Rome's Gemelli hospital for lung operation, Vatican says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pope-leo-xiv-arrives-at-romes-gemelli-hospital-for-lung-operation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T11:32:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/13/pope-leo-xiv-arrives-at-romes-gemelli-hospital-for-lung-operation-vatican-says"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nA 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.\n\nThe 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.",
  "summary": "The pope announced the surgery on Sunday, the first time a pontiff has made a personal medical announcement of this kind.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Mainichi",
        "title": "Pope Leo XIV will have surgery in the coming days to remove a nodule on his lung",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/pope-leo-xiv-will-have-surgery-in-the-coming-days-to-remove-a-nodule",
        "published": "2026-10-12T07:30:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Buenos Aires Herald",
        "title": "Pope Leo XIV is undergoing surgery: Is his Argentina visit at risk?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/pope-leo-xiv-is-undergoing-surgery-is-his-argentina-visit-at-risk",
        "published": "2026-10-12T14:35:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Pope to undergo lung surgery Tuesday",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/pope-to-undergo-lung-surgery-tuesday",
        "published": "2026-10-12T14:56:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Capital FM Kenya",
        "title": "Pope Leo XIV cancels audiences through October 20 ahead of lung surgery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pope-leo-xiv-cancels-audiences-through-october-20-ahead-of-lung",
        "published": "2026-10-13T06:57:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Pope Leo heads to Rome hospital for lung operation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pope-leo-heads-to-rome-hospital-for-lung-operation",
        "published": "2026-10-13T09:23:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News (US)",
        "title": "Pope Leo departs Vatican ahead of operation to remove nodule",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pope-leo-departs-vatican-ahead-of-operation-to-remove-nodule",
        "published": "2026-10-13T11:30:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Toronto Sun",
        "title": "Pope Leo admitted to hospital for lung operation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/pope-leo-admitted-to-hospital-for-lung-operation",
        "published": "2026-10-13T12:03:45.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}