Is Pope Francis going to stay? Is he going to die? Will he stay as pope?
How a lot could be discovered from the day by day or twice-daily Vatican bulletins and from media reviews?
Under are my present solutions, primarily based on my interpretation of the out there data (which is, in fact, topic to alter).
POPE FRANCIS’ MEDICAL CONDITION: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BILATERAL PNEUMONIA
The pope has a protracted historical past of medical issues, together with respiratory infections. Again in 1957, he had a chunk of 1 lung eliminated.
(Regardless of this, Pope Francis just isn’t a smoker, and actually ordered a ban on the sale of cigarettes within the Vatican’s duty-free store starting in 2018.)
Pope Francis holds the Holy Ebook of Prayers as he celebrates the Epiphany mass on January 6, 2020, at St. Peter’s Basilica within the Vatican. (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP through Getty Photos)
The Catholic chief was final hospitalized for pneumonia in 2023. He beforehand underwent stomach surgical procedure, when a part of his colon was eliminated.
Most not too long ago, the pope was hospitalized for a respiratory infection on Feb. 14, 2025, at Gemelli Hospital, among the finest hospitals in Italy.
What’s the pope’s medical situation?
The pope’s situation has been described as bilateral pneumonia, which typically seems as consolidation on a chest x-ray or CT scan.
Pneumonia is an an infection within the air sacs of the lung. Bilateral pneumonia is extra problematic and troublesome to recuperate from than unilateral pneumonia or pneumonia in a single lobe, particularly in an aged affected person with scarring from earlier surgical procedures and bouts of pneumonia.
The pope is presumably being handled with broad-spectrum antibiotics and is reportedly non-septic.
LUNG CANCER RISING AMONG NON-SMOKERS — HERE’S WHY
Although pneumonia is the most typical explanation for bacterial sepsis within the aged, the statistic that one out of three circumstances results in sepsis is deceptive, as a result of it refers back to the interval earlier than the antibiotic period.
Provided that the pope has doubtless been given antibiotics for a number of days and seems to be steady, the probabilities of him creating sepsis are enormously diminished.
What’s sepsis?
Sepsis is a life-threatening situation of hemodynamic compromise (the place the physique just isn’t getting sufficient blood circulate to operate correctly), which causes a drop in blood strain.
The situation typically causes a excessive fever, and coronary heart and kidney output might lower.
“Though the pope’s prognosis is at the moment unknown, it doesn’t sound like he’s actually in important situation.”
Typically, a septic affected person wants particular medication (pressors) to take care of blood pressure, and toxins and acid (lactate) can construct up within the blood.
Blood cultures can flip constructive with a pathogen, which on this case would presumably be a micro organism.
Why is the pope on oxygen?
The pope is receiving what is named high-flow oxygen by nasal cannula (a tool that gives additional oxygen via a tube and into the nostril), which may range in oxygen share.
It is a therapy for respiratory decompensation (breathing difficulties), however just isn’t as aggressive as CPAP (steady constructive airway strain) or mechanical air flow.
“The truth that the pope just isn’t at the moment on a ventilator is an effective signal that he’s not decompensating or septic and that his probabilities of restoration are potential and even possible,” writes Dr. Marc Siegel. (Fox Information)
The truth that the pope just isn’t at the moment on a ventilator is an effective signal that he’s not decompensating or septic and that his probabilities of restoration are potential and even possible.
It isn’t but clear why he wanted blood transfusions (though they do enhance oxygen-carrying means) or why his platelet depend was reportedly low.
Stories of issues
Over the weekend, on Saturday, the pope reportedly skilled an asthmatic episode, which was presumably handled with oxygen and with bronchodilators to open his airways (which constrict throughout an airway assault).
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
An current asthmatic condition could be exacerbated by pneumonia. Within the pope’s case, it seems to have responded properly to therapy.
The media has additionally been ablaze with references to “kidney failure,” main individuals to place that along with double pneumonia and immediately imagine the pope is thru.
Pope Francis meets President Donald Trump within the Personal Library of the Apostolic Palace at Vatican Metropolis on Could 24, 2017. (Vatican/Pool/Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori through Getty Photos)
Whereas Pope Francis is definitely removed from out of the woods, per Vatican reviews, you will need to make clear that delicate renal insufficiency merely means blood circulate to the kidney is mildly diminished, maybe from low quantity or dehydration, and it’d properly be bettering from the blood transfusions he’s receiving.
So long as his urine output retains up and his kidney operate doesn’t worsen, this shouldn’t be a significant impediment.
What’s the pope’s prognosis?
Though the pope’s prognosis is at the moment unknown, it doesn’t sound like he’s actually in critical condition, a time period docs have a tendency to order for rather more unstable sufferers.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
It’s hopeful to learn within the native Italian press (translated to me) that the pope is as soon as once more up and studying newspapers and had a profitable night time.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
He’s reportedly contemplating potential successors, however hopefully he shall be alive to decide on them.
Don’t underestimate the affect of nice medical care mixed with the power of prayer.