The pope was hospitalized on Feb. 14 after experiencing bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis that soon led to a polymicrobial infection.
Pope Francis is conscious but showing signs of mild kidney failure, and he remains in critical condition with a complex lung infection after suffering a respiratory crisis, the Vatican said on Feb. 23.
Some of the pope’s blood tests show “an initial, mild, renal failure, which is currently under control,” the Vatican said on Feb. 23. He continues to be “vigilant and well oriented.”
The pope, 88, was hospitalized at the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli in Rome on Feb. 14 after experiencing bronchiectasis and asthmatic bronchitis that soon led to a polymicrobial infection. He reportedly struggled to speak at one of his meetings earlier the same day.
On Feb. 18, the Vatican said the pope had contracted pneumonia in both lungs, adding that “the laboratory examinations, thoracic x-ray, and clinical conditions of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture.”
By Feb. 22, the Vatican said the pontiff “is not out of danger” as he remains in critical condition, requiring “the administration of high-flow oxygen.”
As a young man, the pope had part of one lung removed after a pulmonary infection, and he often experiences bouts of bronchitis in the winter.
In an earlier statement on Feb. 23, the Vatican did not mention whether the pope was out of bed or eating breakfast but said, “The night passed quietly, the pope rested.”
However, the Vatican noted that he is conscious and continues to receive supplemental oxygen and further clinical tests.
The Vatican said he has received “high flows” of oxygen to assist in breathing through a nasal tube and was given blood transfusions after tests indicated low platelet counts, which are necessary for clotting.
In its Feb. 22 statement, the Vatican mentioned that the pontiff “continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more discomfort than yesterday.” According to doctors, his prognosis is “reserved,” which means they are uncertain about the likely outcome of his condition.
The uncertainty is because of his age, fragility, and preexisting lung disease, leading to speculation over what would happen if he became unconscious or incapacitated.
By Jacob Burg
