Pope Francis to Undergo Minimally Invasive Lung Surgery

Pope Francis is scheduled for minimally invasive surgery to remove a small lung nodule, a procedure to be performed at Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital. The surgery, set for Tuesday, Oct. 13, follows a week of recovery at the highly-rated facility. The Vatican has described the nodule as a "small localized nodule" that was identified at an early stage and is well situated.

Medical Procedure

The surgery will be led by Professor Stefano Margaritora, director of the Thoracic Surgery Unit at Gemelli Hospital, who is an expert in minimally invasive techniques. Margaritora is known for performing uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), a procedure that uses a single small incision. Dr. Robert Cerfolio, CEO at Pinnacle Global Health and a prominent minimally invasive lung surgeon, expressed confidence in Margaritora's skills, though he generally favors a robotic approach for its enhanced visualization and smaller incisions.

If the procedure is successful, the Pope is expected to resume normal activities relatively quickly. His age, 71, and maintained active lifestyle are considered favorable factors for his recovery. Small lung nodules are often detected through CT scans, and if they are small, well-circumscribed, and exhibit concerning characteristics for malignancy, minimally invasive techniques can often be employed for their removal.

A Visit to Lourdes

The upcoming surgery follows Pope Francis's visit to Lourdes, France, on Sept. 26, where he drank water from the spring at the Grotto of Massabielle. Lourdes is renowned for the 72 healings officially recognized as miraculous by the Catholic Church, characterized as instantaneous healings with no apparent medical explanation. The sanctuary also experiences "small miracles that aren’t recognized until later," according to Fox Business anchor David Asman, whose wife has experienced spiritual rejuvenation and improved well-being during pilgrimages to Lourdes following a stroke.

During his September visit, Pope Francis met with thousands of sick pilgrims and the volunteer caregivers, known as "hospitaliers," who assist them. He celebrated the sanctuary's legacy of physical, spiritual, and internal healing. Dr. Alessandro De Franciscis, former director of the Lourdes Office of Medical Observations, described the site as a place of profound hope and mind-over-matter healing, where pilgrims often experience improved emotional and spiritual states.

As Pope Francis undergoes surgery with the aid of modern medical science, he will also have the prayers of millions worldwide, alongside his recent experience at the healing waters of Lourdes.