Pope Francis went through a planned intestinal surgery Sunday and responded well, a Vatican spokesperson announced on Sunday.
The 84-year-old pontiff had been hospitalized in Rome on yesterday afternoon for surgery for diverticular stenosis of the colon, which causes small bulges of the wall of the large intestine.
If left untreated, diverticulitis can cause infection or perforation of the bowel.
It is the first time Francis is hospitalized since his election in 2013.
The pontiff received general anesthesia for the procedure at A. Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
Officials didn’t disclose how long the operation took.
Bruni did not say when Francis was expected to leave the hospital.
Francis is in fairly good health for his age, although he does have a problem with his hip. He also suffers from sciatica — pain along the sciatic nerve in the back and leg.
Francis had a part of his lung removed in his youth due to an infection.
The pope is still fit to travel, and is expected to visit Hungary and Slovakia in September. – Agency report.
