Pope leaves hospital after lung surgery

Pope Leo XIV left Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Saturday afternoon and returned to the Vatican after doctors said he was well enough to be discharged following surgery that removed part of his right lung.

Doctors confirm early discharge

Dr.Luigi Carbone, the Pope's personal physician, and Professor Stefano Margaritora, Gemelli's chief of thoracic surgery, said blood tests and a chest X-ray that morning confirmed Leo could leave hospital.

Pope announced diagnosis publicly

Leo, seventy-one, told crowds in St.Peter's Square last Sunday that doctors had discovered a localized nodule in his lung at a very early stage.He said he decided to undergo an operation to remove it.

“Following their advice, I have therefore decided to undergo an operation to remove it.”

Surgery removed lower lobe of right lung

The surgery on Tuesday used a video-assisted technique to remove the lower lobe of the Pope's right lung in an operation lasting about ninety minutes. Lung tissue examined afterward confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Cancer runs in Leo's family

Leo is not known to have smoked, but cancer runs in his family.His mother, Mildred, died of cancer in nineteen ninety.

Doctors say early detection is encouraging

Dr.Vin Gupta, a pulmonologist and board member of the American Lung Association, told NPR that using surgery as the first tool is a good sign suggesting early stage cancer.

“The fact that surgery was the first tool that they utilized is a really good sign.”

Leo expected to resume travel in November

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said estimated post-operative recovery time will be about one week.Leo's office cleared his public schedule until at least October twentieth.