Is Pope Francis going to live? Is he going to die? Will he remain the Pope?
How much can we learn from everyday or twice a day Vatican announcements and media coverage?
Below is my current answer (which is subject to change, of course).
Pope Francis’s medical condition: What you need to know about bilateral pneumonia
The Pope has a long history of medical problems, including respiratory infections. In 1957 he removed one lung.
(Nottheless, Pope Francis is not a smoker and in fact has ordered a ban on the sale of cigarettes at Vatican duty-free shops since 2018.)
Pope Francis holds a book of holy prayers celebrating the Epiphany Mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican on January 6, 2020. (Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images)
The Catholic leader was last hospitalized in 2023 due to pneumonia. He previously had abdominal surgery when a portion of his colon was removed.
Most recently, the Pope was admitted to the hospital on February 14th, 2025 at Gemeri Hospital, one of Italy’s best hospitals, due to a respiratory infection.
What is the Pope’s medical condition?
The Pope’s condition is called bilateral pneumonia, which commonly appears as integration on chest x-rays or CT scans.
Pneumonia is an infection of the air sac of the lungs. Bilateral pneumonia is more problematic than unilateral pneumonia or pneumonia than unilateral pneumonia or pneumonia, particularly in elderly patients who have been scarred from previous surgery or attacks of pneumonia.
The Pope is probably treated with a wide range of antibiotics and is reportedly non-septic.
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Pneumonia is the most common cause of bacterial sepsis in older people, but since it refers to the period before the antibiotic era, the statistics that one out of three cases lead to sepsis are misleading.
Given that the Pope has been administered antibiotics for several days and appears to be stable, the chances of him developing sepsis are greatly reduced.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition of hemodynamic compromises (the body is not able to provide sufficient blood flow to function properly), leading to a drop in blood pressure.
Generally, this condition can cause high fever and reduce the output of the heart and kidneys.
“The Pope’s prognosis is currently unknown, but it doesn’t sound like he’s in a truly critical state.”
In many cases, patients with sepsis need special medications (pressure booster) to maintain blood pressure, and toxins and acids (lactic acid) can accumulate in the blood.
Blood cultures can test positive for pathogens, and in this case it will likely become bacteria.
Why is the Pope in Oxygen?
Pope receives what is known as high-flow oxygen by nasal cannulas (the device that supplies excess oxygen to the tube or nose), and the proportion of oxygen varies.
This is a treatment for respiratory aspiration (difficulty breathing), but is less aggressive than CPAP (positive open airway pressure) or mechanical ventilation.
“The fact that the Pope is not currently on ventilators is a good indication that he is, or even possible, a possible recovery, not decompensation or sepsis,” Dr. Mark Siegel said. I am writing. (Fox News)
The fact that the Pope is not currently on a ventilator is a good indication that he is, or is likely to have a recovery potential, not compensatory or sepsis.
It is not yet clear why he needed a blood transfusion (although it improves his ability to take oxygen) or why he was reported to have a low platelet count.
Reporting complications
On Saturday the weekend, the Pope reportedly experienced an episode of asthma. This is likely treated with oxygen and bronchodilators and contracts during airway attacks).
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Existing asthma conditions can be exacerbated by pneumonia. In the case of the Pope, it appears he responded well to treatment.
The media is also igniting references to “renal failure” and believes that people will lead them to put it together with double pneumonia and that the Pope will soon pass.
Pope Francis will meet President Donald Trump on May 24, 2017 at the private library at the Apostles Palace in Vatican City. (Vatican/Pool/Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori via Getty Images)
Pope Francis is certainly far from outside the forest, but according to Vatican reports, mild renal failure simply means that blood flow to the kidneys is reduced, possibly reducing from low doses or dehydration, and from It is important to make it clear that there may be improvements. Transfusions he is receiving.
This should not be a major obstacle unless his urinary output is maintained and kidney function does not deteriorate.
What is the Pope’s prognosis?
The Pope’s prognosis is currently unknown, but it doesn’t sound like he is in a truly critical state. Physicians tend to stay for more unstable patients.
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I hope that in the local Italian press (translated to me), the Pope read the newspaper again and spent the night.
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He reportedly is considering potential successors, but hopefully he will live to choose them.
Don’t underestimate the implications of great medical care combined with the power of prayer.
