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A statement released by the Holy See Press Office on the afternoon of October 14 from Dr Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora, the chief of Thoracic Surgery at the Hospital who performed the operation along with the medical team, have issued the following update on Pope Leo XIV's postoperative recovery:

This morning, the Holy Father underwent the blood tests and chest X-ray scheduled after surgery. The results confirm that his postoperative recovery is progressing normally: the values are within the expected range for the type of operation performed.

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"The night passed calmly for the Pope. Further information will be provided later today," the Holy See Press Office said on Wednesday, the morning after Pope Leo underwent a successful lung operation with no complications.

"The Holy Father has undergone respiratory physiotherapy and has begun walking around his room. He has resumed eating normally and had breakfast and lunch."

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Pope Leo XIV underwent surgery at Gemelli Hospital, during which doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung. A statement released by the Holy See Press Office on Tuesday evening from Dr Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora, the chief of Thoracic Surgery at the Hospital who performed the operation along with the medical team, said the surgeons removed the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung. Tissue examined during the operation confirmed the diagnosis suspected from tests conducted beforehand.

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“To ensure a radical resection, the lower lobe of the right lung was removed using a video-assisted technique. An intraoperative histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, as suspected from the preoperative examinations.”

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The Pope was in the operating room for approximately three hours, while the operation itself lasted about 90 minutes. The doctors said it was successful and there were no complications.

Pope Leo awoke normally after surgery and, following a brief period of observation, returned to his room on the hospital’s 10th floor, according to the statement.

Following the operation, Pope Leo asked for dinner and spent the evening in the company of his secretaries and other Vatican staff, according to the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni.

In the coming days, post-operation exams will be conducted on the removed tissue. The preoperative tests had already shown the doctors where and how to operate. No change has been communicated regarding the previously announced hospitalization time of one week.

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Source: Vatican News