Home · Faith · Oct 20 archive

Pope’s surgeon: No clinical reason to cancel visit to South America

11:21 AM ETConfirmed

Faith Desk

In Short: Dr. Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on Pope Leo XIV, told Vatican News that there are no clinical reasons to prevent the Pope from traveling to South America as scheduled from November 6 to 17.

The 71-year-old Augustinian pope was admitted to Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday and underwent surgery that same day, during which doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung due to a lung adenocarcinoma.

Margaritora said, 'Since almost a week has already passed, I believe the pope could be fully recovered in another 10 days or so. As for a long trip involving air travel in about three weeks, I would say there are no clinical reasons why it should not take place.'

The Vatican announced at 11:30 a.m. local time that the pope would be discharged, and he was deemed fit for discharge based on blood tests and a chest X-ray performed that morning.

The pope followed every stage of the guidance on diet and physiotherapy, getting back on his feet and doing more than was asked of him.

Margaritora noted, 'He was always serene, always smiling, and rarely complained, despite the pain a person inevitably feels, even with all the measures we take.'

The surgeon also stated, 'The Holy Father has put his heart and soul into his recovery, as the most motivated people do after this kind of operation.'

The pope greeted patients inside the hospital accompanied by his surgeon, before waving to well-wishers outside who cried out 'Holiness' as he walked to a waiting vehicle.

He appeared to accept a gift of a homemade smiling Pope figure before getting in a car and being driven back to the Vatican.

Margaritora called the pope 'an ideal patient' and said he expects Leo will be fully recovered and in shape to travel within the next '10 days or so.'

Background

What's confirmed

• His surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora, told Vatican News that there are “no clinical reasons” the pope should not make his planned trip to South America, Nov. 6 to 17.
• She thanked him for giving her strength to overcome the illness and gave him a gift of a stuffed toy dressed as a pope.
• 13, said he expects Leo will be fully recovered and in shape to travel within the next “10 days or so.” Calling him “an ideal patient,” Margaritora said that upon his discharge from the hospital Leo “was in entirely satisfactory clinical condition” with completely normal blood test results and heart function.
• VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo’s surgeon told Vatican media on Saturday that there were “no clinical reasons” to prevent him from traveling to Latin America as scheduled Nov. 6-17.
• “The lung’s re-expansion after surgery is proceeding according to the usual timetable,” and “overall, his condition is good,” Margaritora added.
• “In the Holy Father’s case, he had no respiratory symptoms and felt perfectly well,” the doctor noted.
• "The Holy Father has put his heart and soul into his recovery," Dr. Stefano Margaritora told Vatican News, adding that he expected the pope to recover fully from surgery "in another 10 days or so."
• Leo greeted patients inside the hospital accompanied by his surgeon, before waving to well-wishers outside who cried out "Holiness" as he walked to a waiting vehicle.

What's still developing

• The surgery went ahead “without any complications,” he said, and he was “truly pleased” with the pope’s recovery.
• The first American pope smiled, looked well and waved to the crowd.
• Professor Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on Pope Leo XIV, said he sees no medical reason why the pope’s upcoming apostolic trip to South America should not go ahead.
• Professor Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on Pope Leo XIV’s lung on Tuesday, October 13, told Vatican News that, from a medical standpoint, the Pope can undertake the demanding visit to Latin America scheduled for November 6–17.
• “I don’t believe it, because he was just operated on the other day,” Cosimo Mastrocinque, a retired factory worker visiting the Vatican from the southern region of Puglia, said.
• Peter's Square at the Vatican for the traditional noon blessing after praying the Angelus with Pope Leo XIV, Sunday, Oct.
• The surgeon indicated that the Holy Father’s lung adenocarcinoma was discovered during routine abdominal examinations, which underscores the importance of regular preventive checkups.
• His discharge from the hospital comes less than a month before Leo is scheduled to jet off for a two-week trip to South America, which is set to start Nov. 11.
• “I am much better, thank you,” the pope said when asked how he was as he was driven away in a black SUV.

Sources

• America Magazinelink
• EWTN Newslink
• The Mercury Newslink
• The Tablet Catholic Newspaperlink
• Vatican Newslink
• Aciafricalink
• Bozemandailychroniclelink
• Ncregisterlink
• NBC Newslink
• PBSlink
• Kwtxlink
• Wikipedia — background on South America link
• Wikipedia — background on Vatican News link
• The Tablet's Sunday In The City — video link