Pope Francis In ‘Good Health’ After Surgery
Pope Francis in ‘good condition’ following intestinal surgery, will remain in hospital for week
Tanitoluwa J. Adedotun 
According to a statement on Monday released by Matteo Bruni, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, “Pope Francis is in good general condition, alert, and in spontaneous breathing.”
The Vatican shared further details on the pontiff's recovery, commenting that the process is going well, and it's expected that no further complications will arise.
Pope Francis underwent a three-hour operation on Sunday to rectify diverticular stenosis, a procedure assisted by ten medical professionals at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. The condition causes part of the intestine to narrow, subsequently blocking food from passing through, which can be dangerous if left untreated. Alongside this procedure, the Pope has also had a part of his left colon removed.
Just hours shy of the operation, the Pope had announced that he is planning on travelling to Hungary and Slovakia in mid-September.
The 84-year old has only undergone one other surgery since 2013, an operation at the end of 2019 to correct cataracts.
Elected at 76 years old, Francis was reported to be healthy and his doctors have said his missing lung tissue, removed in his youth, does not significantly affect his health.
The only concern would be decreased respiratory reserve if he had a respiratory infection.
In the past, one attack of sciatica in 2007 prevented him from attending a consistory and delayed his return to Argentina for several days. Francis is the first Jesuit pope.
This was a significant appointment, because of the sometimes tense relations between the Society of Jesus and the Holy See.
However, Bergoglio came in second to Cardinal Ratzinger on all the ballots in the 2005 conclave, and at the time appeared as the only other viable candidate.
He is also the first from the Americas and the first from the Southern Hemisphere.
Many media reported him as being the first non-European pope, but he is actually the 11th; the previous was Gregory III from Syria, who died in 741. Moreover, although Francis was not born in Europe, he is ethnically European.
