Pope Leo Medically Fit for November South America Visit, Surgeon Says

Pope Leo XIV has no clinical reasons to cancel his scheduled visit to South America from November 6 to 17, according to Professor Stefano Margaritora, the surgeon who operated on the Pope’s lung on October 13. In an interview with Vatican News, Margaritora said the Pope needed about another 10 days to recover fully.

“I would say there are no clinical reasons why this visit should not take place,” said Margaritora, professor of thoracic surgery at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart and director of the Thoracic Surgery Unit at the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital Foundation.

The surgeon said the Pope was in satisfactory clinical condition when discharged from the hospital, with normal blood test results and good heart function. The re-expansion of his lung was also proceeding according to the usual timetable.

The lung tumor was discovered accidentally during routine abdominal examinations, Margaritora said. The small spot was visible at the base of the lung during radiological tests.

“Prevention is extremely important,” he said, noting that early-stage lung cancer can cause no symptoms. The Pope had experienced no respiratory symptoms and felt well before the tumor was detected.

Margaritora described the October 13 operation to remove the lower lobe of the Pope’s right lung as routine for a tumor of that size. The surgery proceeded without complications, and he said the medical team was pleased with the Pope’s recovery.

Treating the Pope like any other patient, the surgeon estimated that complete physical recovery would take about two weeks.

“Since almost a week has already passed, I believe the Pope could be fully recovered in another ten days or so,” he said, adding that he saw no clinical reason to prevent the planned long-distance air travel.

Reflecting on the operation, Margaritora said the experience carried an emotional weight beyond its medical demands because of the Pope’s role as a spiritual leader for Catholics worldwide.

“An operation that is routine medically cannot feel routine on a human level,” he said.

The surgeon also praised the Pope’s cooperation during his hospital stay, describing him as “an ideal patient.” Leo XIV followed medical guidance on diet and physiotherapy, remained cheerful and rarely complained despite the pain.

Margaritora recalled finding the Pope arranging chairs in the chapel on the second day after surgery. When staff offered to do it for him, the Pope replied, “It doesn’t matter. I can do it, so I will.”

The surgeon thanked the medical and support staff at Gemelli Hospital, including nurses, laboratory and radiology technicians, physiotherapists and other health care professionals involved in the Pope’s treatment.