The surgical team utilized video-assisted thoracic surgery, known as thoracoscopy, to excise the lower lobe of the pope's right lung with the objective of achieving a complete, curative resection. According to a joint medical statement released by his doctors, the operation lasted approximately 90 minutes and concluded successfully without complications. The pope regained consciousness normally following the procedure and returned to his hospital room to rest.
Vatican Timeline and Cancelled Public Engagements
The Vatican stated that Pope Leo XIV is expected to remain hospitalized for approximately one week to recover from the lung surgery. All official papal audiences, meetings, and public engagements have been cancelled through October 20. The 71-year-old pontiff, who was elected by global cardinals in May 2025, is relatively young compared to historical precedents. Prior to his diagnosis, he was known to enjoy sports such as tennis, did not smoke, and had no reported health problems. His predecessor, Pope Francis, experienced declining health and numerous hospitalizations in his final years before passing away in April 2025 at the age of 88.
Medical Prognosis and Expert Analysis
Medical specialists note that an accurate assessment of the pope's long-term prognosis depends on tumor size and whether the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, though the Vatican has not publicly released those pathological details. Born Robert Prevost in Chicago in 1955, the current pope spent decades serving as a missionary and bishop in Peru, where he was once hospitalized in 1985 in Tulucanas after contracting typhoid fever.
Vatican Administrative Continuity Without a Deputy
The Catholic Church currently lacks a deputy pontiff or vice-pope system to assume executive duties during a papal incapacitation. Consequently, Vatican administrative structures must handle routine governance while holding pending decisions that strictly require papal approval until the pontiff resumes his full schedule.
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