Pope Leo XIV has announced he will undergo a surgical procedure this week to remove a pulmonary nodule from his lung. The 71-year-old pontiff is expected to recover within approximately seven days, which would allow him to proceed with a scheduled 11-day apostolic visit to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru beginning on November 6. The disclosure is notable as a rare personal medical announcement by a pope.
When will the operation be?
The pope indicated the operation is planned for the coming days, and the Vatican press office confirmed it would take place at the beginning of the week without providing a specific date. Italian media have suggested the procedure could occur on Tuesday, though the pope is still expected to preside over a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning alongside Church leaders from around the world, with no announced changes to his schedule. Vatican doctors anticipate a recovery period of around seven days, making the Latin America visit feasible as planned.
What is a pulmonary nodule?
A pulmonary nodule is a small growth of tissue in the lung. The majority of nodules are benign, meaning non-cancerous, but a minority can represent an early stage of lung cancer. Most small nodules cause no symptoms and are discovered incidentally during checks for other health issues. Larger nodules may lead to shortness of breath, chest pain, or persistent coughing, sometimes with blood. The procedure is typically carried out under general anaesthetic, with the patient breathing through a tube.
Where will the operation take place?
The operation is expected to take place at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, where popes are usually treated. Pope Francis received care there in the weeks before his passing last year. Pope John Paul II, who led the Church from 1978 until his death in 2005, was treated nine times at Gemelli—Rome’s largest hospital—and spent a total of 153 days there. He quipped that the hospital was like “Vatican number three.” The Vatican has since established a top-floor apartment at the hospital site, accessible via a long corridor guarded by Italian and Vatican police. Besides the pope’s room, the suite reportedly includes a meeting room for medical staff, a kitchen, bathroom, rest areas, and a small chapel.
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