Pope Francis surgery completed "without complications," pontiff working from hospital during recovery

Rome — The Vatican said Thursday morning that Pope Francis was in good shape a day after his second abdominal surgery in just two years was completed "without complications." The 86-year-old pope was taken to Rome's Gemelli Hospital for the procedure right after his regular weekly Wednesday audience, and he was expected to remain hospitalized for at least several days as he recovers.

The pontiff's medical team said Thursday that he was in good general condition, alert and breathing without assistance after they operated to treat a painful abdominal hernia, removing scar tissue and implanting a prosthetic mesh. 

It's an area where Francis has had multiple surgeries over the years, most recently in 2021 when doctors removed 13 inches of his large intestine. Francis was hospitalized for 10 days after that procedure. This time, his doctor said the procedure typically required a hospital stay of five to seven days.