January 2022: Beginning of problems with right knee for Pope Francis
January 17, 2022 was the first time that Pope Francis He referred to your knee pain. At a general audience held the following week, she explained that she would not be able to greet pilgrims as usual due to a “temporary problem in her right leg” caused by an inflamed knee ligament.
July 2021: Surgery for diverticular stenosis for Pope Francis
On July 4, 2021, Pope Francis He underwent surgery due to “diverticular stenosis”. This intervention, performed under general anesthesia, lasted three hours and consisted of a left hemicolectomy, that is, the removal of a part of the colon.
During the operation, 33 centimeters of large intestine were removed due to inflammation caused by the narrowing of the colon. Although the Holy Father reacted well to the operation, he later claimed to have suffered certain side effects as a result of the general anesthesia.
Sciatica pain since 2013: A persistent health challenge for Pope Francis
During his first interview with journalists upon returning from his visit to Brazil in 2013, Pope Francis stated: “the worst thing that has happened to me since I became Pope is sciatica.”
Sciatica is a medical condition that involves pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back to the back of each leg.
In the summer of 2017, the Pope took advantage of his days of rest to alleviate this health problem, although it was not until the end of 2020 when the disease prevented that met his agenda: did not preside the celebrations of December 31 and the beginning of the new year 2021.
This article was originally published on June 7, 2023. It has been updated on February 28, 2024 with the latest news on the state of Pope Francis’ health.