Pope enjoys quiet night in Rome hospital after hernia op

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 8 - Pope Francis spent a quiet night in Rome's Gemelli Hospital after surgery to repair a painful abdominal hernia formed over the scar left by a colon operation two years ago, the Vatican said Thursday.
    "The night passed well, more information at the end of the morning", the Vatican Press Office said.
    Francis was in good spirits when he work up after the three-hour procedure Wednesday evening asking the surgeon "when are we going to do the third one?" The Argentine pontiff, 86, who was in the Gemelli with bornchitis earlier this year for a few days, underwent three-hour bowel surgery under general anaesthesia, "without complications", by a team led by Professor Sergio Alfieri, the same surgeon who operated on him in July 2021.
    The post-operative course is proceeding as planned, Vatican sources said.
    The pope is expected to spend several days in the Gemelli and as a precautionary measure, all of his audiences have been suspended until 18 June.
    "The holy father is well, awake and alert," said Alfieriaftre the operation, after heading the team that intervened to resolve an abdominal laparocele or hernia.
    "He has already told me his first one-liner," the surgeon added, saying Francis was in good spirits.
    Alfieri stressed that the pontiff, who has had a number of minor but irksome health problems in recent years, has no other diseases.
    "The surgery two years ago was for a benign pathology, the diverticular stenosis is benign, the pathology for which he was operated on today is benign and will leave no trace," said Alfieri.
    "The hospital stay will be between five and seven days, he is 86 years old and has already undergone four operations.
    "Give us a few days.
    "He is being looked after by his assistant these days, it's not an emergency situation," added Alfieri.
    "The whole Italian people is with you", President Sergio Mattarella told Francis in a message sent from Paris while the pontiff was undergoing the surgery.
    Francis's health has been a matter of debate since he made it clear that he would be prepared to step down if illness prevented him from doing his job just like his predecessor Benedict XVI sensationally did in 2013.
    He has been niggled with cataracts, sciatica and a painful right knee that has forced him to use a wheelchair on many occasions.
    After the colon op on July 4, 2021, he acknowledged the speculation saying "I'm still alive, some prelates wanted me dead, they were already preparing the conclave (to elect a successor)". (ANSA).