On Wednesday, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis would undergo abdominal surgery the same day.

According to a statement from the Holy See, the pontiff has been admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome, where he will undergo surgery in the afternoon.

He added that his medical team had decided in recent days that an operation was needed and that he should remain in the hospital for “several days” to recover.

He will perform an operation on the abdominal wall under general anesthesia, the Vatican said.

The pontiff was due to be taken to the hospital after a weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday morning, where he made no mention of a planned operation. On Tuesday, he spent 40 minutes for a checkup at the hospital.

The pope, who celebrated his 10th birthday in March at the head of the Catholic Church, often uses a wheelchair or cane to walk because of constant pain in his knees.

In July 2021, part of his colon was removed in an operation to treat a painful bowel condition called diverticulitis. Earlier this year, he said the situation had recovered.

Last year, the Pope said he didn’t want to have knee surgery because general anesthesia for colon surgery had unpleasant side effects. Now he has to operate under general anesthesia.

The most popular pontiff, originally from Argentina, is now 86 years old.

Source: Reuters.