UPDATE
HONG KONG (SE): Pope Francis is responding well after surgery for urgery for a diverticular stenosis of the colon on the evening of July 4, according to Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office.
“The Holy Father reacted well to the surgery done under general anaesthesia and performed by Sergio Alfieri, assisted by Luigi Sofo, Antonio Tortorelli and Roberta Megnhi,” Vatican News reported Bruni as saying.
Earlier that afternoon the pope entered the Gemelli hospital in Rome for the surgery, Associated Press (AP) reported. The Vatican was quoted as saying that Thhe pope had been diagnosed with “symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon,” a reference to a narrowing in the large intestine.
Only three three hours earlier, the pope had cheerfully greeted the public in St. Peter’s Square during the Sunday Angelus and told them he will go to Hungary and Slovakia in September, AP reported.
The Holy See press office was quoted by CNN as saying in a statement: “This afternoon his Holiness Pope Francis went to the Gemelli hospital—Rome—for a scheduled surgical intervention for a symptomatic stenotic diverticulitis. Surgery will be carried out by professor Sergio Alfieri. At the end of the surgery a medical bulletin will be issued.”
