Pope cleared by doctors to proceed with South America trip after lung surgery

Pope Leo XIV has been declared fit by his medical team to undertake a planned trip to South America, according to Professor Stefano Margaritora, the thoracic surgeon who operated on the Pope on Tuesday, October 13. The journey, scheduled from November 6 to 17, was initially called into question following the Pope's recent surgery, but doctors now say there are no medical reasons preventing it. At the time of his hospital discharge, the Pope was in a clinically excellent condition, with normal blood values and good heart function. The expansion of the lung after the operation is progressing within the expected timeframe. The lung cancer was discovered incidentally during routine abdominal examinations, a common occurrence due to the anatomical position of the lower lung lobes beneath the diaphragm.

The surgical procedure itself was described as routine, involving the removal of the lower lobe of the right lung where a small malignant tumor had been detected. Professor Margaritora, who holds the chair of thoracic surgery at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and leads the thoracic surgery department at the Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, confirmed that the operation was completed without complications. He noted that the Pope's determination to recover quickly played a significant role in his postoperative progress, estimating that full physical recovery would take approximately two weeks. With nearly a week already passed since the surgery, the Pope is expected to be fully healed within ten more days.