Pope Francis suffers two new episodes of ‘acute respiratory insufficiency’

Pope Francis suffered a third and fourth respiratory crisis on Monday in the panorama of ups and downs that is marking the slow and fragile recovery of the pontiff from pneumonia after he was admitted to the Gemelli hospital in Rome on February 14. The medical report for Monday afternoon, issued just before 7 p.m., revealed that the 88-year-old Pope presented “two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency, caused by a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm.” On February 22, he suffered the most serious crisis yet and, when he seemed to have recovered, he had a bronchospasm last Friday, which was considered isolated.

Monday afternoon’s communiqué explains that “two bronchoscopies were therefore performed, with the need to remove large secretions” and in the afternoon non-invasive mechanical ventilation, which the Pope had stopped receiving on Saturday, was resumed. He is not intubated, meaning that he is breathing with a mask. “The Holy Father remained alert, oriented and cooperative at all times,“ the Vatican stated, although it added that the pontiff’s “prognosis remains guarded.” There was no indication of his conditions being critical, a phase that was considered as overcome last Thursday.

The signs on Monday morning were positive, after the Pope recovered from the respiratory crisis he suffered on Friday, as indicated in the medical report issued on Sunday afternoon. The bulletin indicated that “today, too, the Holy Father’s clinical condition has remained stable,” for the second consecutive day. The 48-hour deadline set by doctors to determine whether or not Friday’s bronchospasm had aggravated the pontiff’s general condition was thus satisfactorily met, because it had led to vomiting that had entered the respiratory tract and there was a risk of a new infection.

“There have been no direct consequences,” Vatican sources said. In Monday’s communiqué there was no mention of whether it is necessary to wait further to see if the condition has worsened, although on this occasion the medical report does not mention vomiting.

Monday’s two new complications further reinforce the sense of caution conveyed by the reports as 18 days of hospitalization have already shown that Francis’ health is fragile. As the medical team said at its only press conference on February 21, the Pope’s life “is not in danger,” but neither was he “fully out of danger.” “In other words, it takes very little to become unbalanced.” In fact, the most serious crisis occurred the following day. Since then, the Pope’s doctors have not appeared before the media again. The Vatican has not yet clarified whether at some point there will be a new meeting with journalists.

This situation of “complexity” and risk of renewed respiratory crisis is combined with messages of apparent normality from the Vatican. The Pope has remained fever-free in recent days, has always been conscious, and is eating normally. He gets up and moves around the apartment where he is staying, on the 10th floor of the hospital. He is also undergoing respiratory physiotherapy, which is considered another step on the slow road to recovery.

Since he was admitted he has been working almost every day and, although he rested on Saturday, on Sunday morning he received the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Pietro Parolin, and his right-hand man, Edgar Peña Parra, the Vatican’s internal affairs officer. Almost daily appointments and other decisions requiring the Pope’s signature have been announced.

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