What kind of surgery does Pope Francis need?

Pope Francis is undergoing a surgery that involves opening up the abdomen to expose internal organs, and doctors planned to insert a prosthesis.

Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital for abdominal surgery on Wednesday afternoon after developing a painful hernia linked to a 2021 operation to remove a significant portion of his large intestine, the Vatican said.

Here’s a look at what we know about the operation and what potential complications doctors will be watching for in the 86-year-old pontiff.

WHAT KIND OF SURGERY IS THE POPE HAVING?

Pope Francis is undergoing a laparotomy, a surgery that involves opening up the abdomen to expose internal organs, and doctors planned to insert a prosthesis while he was under general anesthesia.

Doctors not linked to the pope’s care said hernias were a known complication after previous operations and typically only become problematic when patients develop a bulge in their abdomen and experience significant pain. In such cases, surgery is needed to repair the hernia, which may involve some of the patient’s bowel.

The Vatican said Francis had been in increasing pain.

Dr. Walter Longo, chief of colon and rectal surgery at Yale University School of Medicine, said the pope’s physicians were likely concerned that the hernia might mean that Francis’ intestines were “trapped,” which could lead to severe bowel problems.

“When you’re older and not in great shape, you can get a hernia through the (surgical) incision,” he said. That could result in twisted intestines that cut off the blood supply to the bowel, ultimately leading to gangrene, if left untreated.