HEALTH SCARE

Pope Leo XIV Undergoes Lung Surgery

The Vatican expects his recovery to take only about a week.

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Pope Leo XIV, 71, left the Vatican Tuesday for surgery to remove a lung nodule at a hospital in Rome. The first American pope seemed in good spirits at the hospital, greeting staff and shaking hands, according to a video Vatican News posted. Pope Leo announced the operation on Sunday after doctors found the growth of dense tissue in his lung, which he said was “well localized” in “a very initial phase.” The Vatican said it will provide more details by Tuesday evening and estimates his recovery will take about a week. The Gemelli Hospital is Rome’s largest. Nodules require an X-ray or CT scan for diagnosis, and they can result from scar tissue, lung irritants, inflammatory conditions, infections, or cancer, according to the American Lung Association. The Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said he was “struck” by the pontiff’s “serenity” during the Sunday announcement. “We are confident, and of course we all accompany him with our prayers and our affection,” Parolin said.