Pope Resting After Alarming Setback To His Recovery From Double Pneumonia
HuffPost
Doctors said it would take a day or two to evaluate how and if the episode impacted Francis’ overall clinical condition.
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was resting Saturday after an alarming setback in his two-week recovery from double pneumonia: Doctors had to put him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation following a coughing fit in which he inhaled vomit that needed to then be extracted.
Doctors said it would take a day or two to evaluate how and if the episode impacted Francis’ overall clinical condition. His prognosis remained guarded, meaning he wasn’t out of danger.
In its brief morning update Saturday, the Vatican said: “The night has passed quietly, the pope is resting.”
In the late Friday update, the Vatican said the 88-year-old suffered an “isolated crisis of bronchial spasm,” a coughing fit in which Francis inhaled vomit, that resulted in a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors aspirated the vomit and placed Francis on non-invasive mechanical ventilation.
The pope remained conscious and alert at all times and cooperated with the maneuvers to help him recover. He responded well, with a good level of oxygen exchange and was continuing to wear a mask to receive supplemental oxygen, the Vatican said.
