Pope Leo XIV Cleared for 12-Day South America Trip After Right Lung Lobe Surgery
Updated
Updated · Vatican News - English · Oct 17
Pope Leo XIV Cleared for 12-Day South America Trip After Right Lung Lobe Surgery
3 articles · Updated · Vatican News - English · Oct 17
Summary
Professor Stefano Margaritora said Pope Leo XIV has no clinical reason to cancel his Nov. 6-17 Latin America trip and could be fully recovered within about 10 days.
Tuesday's operation removed the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung after doctors found a small adenocarcinoma by chance during routine abdominal imaging.
Margaritora said the surgery was routine, complication-free and followed by normal blood tests, good heart function and expected lung re-expansion.
The surgeon said Leo had no respiratory symptoms before the cancer was found, using the case to underscore the value of regular lung-cancer screening for at-risk patients.
He also said operating on a pope for a malignant tumor was unprecedented in modern history, even if the procedure itself was medically standard.