Pope Francis hospitalized in Rome to undergo colon surgery

POPE Francis has been admitted to the Gemelli Polyclinic hospital in Rome to undergo scheduled surgery for “a symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon,” the Vatican reported.

The announcement of the operation has caused surprise since it was unknown that Francis, who in the morning appeared before St. Peter’s Square of the Vatican for the Sunday prayer of the Angelus, had to undergo surgery, even though it was scheduled.” This afternoon His Holiness Pope Francis went to the A. Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where he will undergo scheduled surgery for a symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon,” said the Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, in a brief statement. The operation will be carried out by Dr Sergio Alfieri and once completed a statement will be released on the condition of the 84-year-old.

As reported by Diario Sevilla, according to experts in the digestive system, the objective of this type of surgery is to reduce the problems caused by diverticula, which are small hernias in the wall of the colon with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations including bleeding, inflammation which is diverticulitis or associated complications to it such as obstruction or perforation. Colon diverticular disease is very common in Western society and affects almost 65% of the population at 85 years of age, according to the same sources.