Pope Francis In Stable Condition After Breathing Crisis. ‘Isolated Episode,’ Says Vatican

Pope Francis Health Update: Pope Francis is said to be in a stable condition as he continues to receive medical treatment, the Vatican has said. This was reported after he suffered an “isolated” breathing crisis on Friday.

According to the statement, the pope is alternating between non-invasive mechanical ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy, to which he has responded well. Pope Francis has continued to eat on his own and is actively participating in respiratory physiotherapy. He has not suffered any more episodes of bronchospasm – tightening of muscles in the walls of the bronchioles.

The statement also confirmed that Pope Francis is alert and oriented.

On Friday, the pope, who has spent the past two weeks at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, “presented an isolated crisis of bronchospasm which…led to an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of the respiratory picture”, the Vatican said in a statement on Friday evening, AFP reported.

No Further Episodes Of Bronchospasm

“The Holy Father does not have a fever and shows no leukocytosis [high white blood cell count]. His haemodynamic parameters have always remained stable; he has continued to eat on his own and has regularly undergone respiratory physiotherapy, in which he cooperates actively. He has not experienced any further episodes of bronchospasm,” the statement said.

“The Pope remains in good humour. Today he prayed in the chapel near his hospital room for around twenty minutes,” it added.

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Quoting a Vatican source, the AFP report said his doctors would monitor him for the next 24 to 48 hours to see if this breathing trouble has worsened his condition or not. It added that the 88-year-old pontiff, who is ‘not out of danger’, was using an oxygen mask that covers his nose and mouth but was ‘in good spirits’.

The pope has been in Rome’s Gemelli hospital for two weeks, after he was admitted on February 14 with a severe respiratory infection that triggered other complications.

According to Reuters, the Vatican has not said how long the pope will remain in the hospital, but it announced on Friday that Francis would not lead the annual Church service next week to open the Christian season of Lent. The March 5 service, known as Ash Wednesday, starts the 40-day period leading up to Easter Sunday. It will instead be entrusted to a senior Vatican official.