Pope Francis has left the hospital: what is he suffering from?

The 84-year-old pontiff left the Gemelli University Hospital in Rome on Wednesday July 14. He had been admitted there on July 4 for an operation under general anesthesia, which lasted three hours. Pope Francis suffered from symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon, a complication of diverticulitis.

What is symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon?

This pathology affects the digestive system: small pockets appear on the walls of the intestine, “most often located in the sigmoid colon and left colon“, specifies the site of the French National Society of Gastroenterology. These small bumps generally form with age: 50% of people over 70 are affected. But they usually don’t feel any symptoms. “Any inflammation of the mucosaabdominal pain or particular sign belonging to the irritable bowel syndrome such as constipation has not been associated with the presence of diverticula if they are not complicated“, underline these professionals.

Why did he have an operation?

Sometimes symptoms appear, including pain in the abdomen. Health professionals then speak of diverticular disease. In the case of diverticulitis, the diverticula are inflamed or even infected. Stenosis is one of the possible complications, it is a narrowing of the intestine. In the case of Pope Francis, the operation was timed to remove the inflamed area of ​​the colon.

What is the general state of health of Pope Francis?

The sovereign pontiff had not been hospitalized since his election in 2013. Although he is in good overall health, he underwent an operation at the age of 21 to remove part of his lung, following pleurisy, an inflammation of the membrane covering this organ.I have never felt limited in my activities (…). I never felt tired or short of breath“, he said in a book of interviews, quoted by Nice Morning. On that occasion, he also said:I’m not afraid of death“.