Pope Leo XIV to enter Rome hospital for lung nodule removal
Pope Leo XIV entered a Rome hospital Tuesday to remove a lung nodule, officials said. The operation will determine if the lesion is malignant and whether he requires further treatment. The procedure marks the first major health issue of his 17-month papacy.
The pope announced the localized nodule during his Sunday noon prayer. He told the crowd in St. Peter’s Square that doctors would remove it.
The Vatican said Leo enters Gemelli hospital late Tuesday morning. Officials provided no immediate timing for the actual operation. The specific surgical technique remains unconfirmed.
The procedure usually requires general anesthesia and a weeklong stay. The Vatican canceled his audiences through Oct. 20.
Dr. Lorenzo Spaggiari directs thoracic surgery at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan. He does not treat the pope but knows the Gemelli medical staff.
“These are things that can be treated very well, if the words he used reflect the clinical situation,” Spaggiari said.
Surgical approach and robotic technology
Spaggiari expects doctors will perform a biopsy first. Surgeons will then remove a section or lobe of the lung.
Specialists could perform both steps consecutively under one anesthesia session. Spaggiari said Gemelli possesses robotic technology that allows minimally invasive work.
A robotic bronchoscopy system called ION can biopsy nodules measuring 3 millimeters across. Both Gemelli and the Milan institute use this technology.
Surgeons using the da Vinci robot make four small incisions. They view high-definition screens to control the mechanical arms.
“It’s a very well-established technology,” Spaggiari said. “This is something we have been doing for 20 years.”
Gemelli teams have finished both robotic procedures in under four hours. Spaggiari stated the biopsy carries virtually zero risk.
The surgical mortality risk runs between 0.6% and 0.8% for healthy patients. Surgeons will also extract draining lymph nodes during the procedure.
“If all those lymph nodes turn out to be negative, so stage one, then the outlook is very good,” Spaggiari said.
Recovery plans and travel schedule
The nodule appeared during routine medical exams, according to Vatican officials. Spaggiari noted Leo likely took other tests before scheduling surgery.
“I think he has had a bit of luck,” Spaggiari said. “They found something that was asymptomatic.”
His institute advises patients to avoid flights for three weeks following surgery. That schedule would allow Leo to complete a planned Nov. 6-17 trip.
That journey includes visits to Peru, Argentina and Uruguay. His travel still depends on his physical recovery.
“I think the Holy Father is in excellent hands at Gemelli,” Spaggiari said.
Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix of Quebec praised the disclosure on Monday. The American pontiff broke with long traditions of secrecy.
“I really appreciated yesterday at the end of the Angelus, he himself said, ‘This is what’s going on , very transparent , and ask for prayers,'” Lacroix said.
Oncologists said his prognosis remains excellent because doctors detected the growth early. The Vatican historically maintained strict secrecy around illnesses of previous pontiffs.
A lung nodule is an abnormal tissue growth measuring under 3 centimeters. Chest scans frequently reveal these growths during checks for unrelated infections or physical trauma. Surgical removal allows doctors to verify if tissue is benign or cancerous.
Leo rests under medical observation in Rome. Church administrators expect further updates following the completed surgical work.
