Pope Francis suffers two episodes of acute respiratory failure

Pope Francis suffered on Monday two episodes of acute respiratory failure, which means that he had serious breathing to breathe.

According to the medical part of this afternoon, the cause was a significant accumulation of mucus in the bronchi, which prevented the normal passage of air. This obstruction caused a bronchospasm, a narrowing of the bronchi due to the contraction of the muscles that surround them.

This has been reported by the Vatican in the last update of Pope Francis’s health status. This crisis has caused the need to perform “two bronchoscopies” and an “aspiration of abundant secretions.” In addition, non -invasive mechanical ventilation has been resumed.

A bronchoscopy is a medical procedure that allows visualizing the respiratory tract by means of a tube, called bronchoscope, which diagnoses and treats lung conditions, as well as the extraction of secretions.

Pope Francis has already suffered a bronchospasm last Friday, which resulted in an episode of vomiting by inhalation, something that has not happened on Monday. The doctors confirmed on Sunday that the crisis did not affect their general health status and the weekend remained stable.

Vatican sources confirmed this afternoon that continues with a complex clinical picture and that these crises are not a new infection, but a consequence of bilateral pneumonia and a reaction from the lung to bacteria.

The forecast is still reserved and “the Holy Father has always remained vigilant, oriented and collaborator,” reads the statement released by the Holy See press office.