Pope Francis suffers two episodes of acute respiratory failure, Vatican announces

Pope Francis has suffered two episodes of breathing attacks as he is still recovering from Pneumonia, the Vatican has announced.

The Vatican also said that the pope suffered a bronchospasm, akin to an asthma attack, which required doctors to perform two bronchoscopies, or procedures to evaluate his air passages.

“Today, the Holy Father experienced two episodes of acute respiratory failure, caused by a significant accumulation of end bronchial mucus and consequent bronchospasm, ” it stated in a medical report.

In its update, the Vatican said he has resumed using an oxygen mask and that he is responsive, focused, and alert.

With the two episodes of acute respiratory failure, the Catholic headquarters said two separate bronchoscopies were performed to aspirate abundant secretions.

The 88-year-old pontiff has been hospitalized at Rome’s Gemeli hospital since the middle of last month and has not been seen in public ever since.

He was admitted with a severe respiratory infection that triggered other complications.

Yesterday’s news of more breathing difficulties for the pontiff came after relatively upbeat statements during the weekend and after another constriction of his respiratory airways reported on Friday.

Francis has experienced several bouts of ill health over the last two years and is prone to lung infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.

His latest hospitalisation marks his longest absence from public view since his papacy started in March 2013, and his doctors have not said how long his treatment might last.

Acute respiratory failure, which can be life-threatening, occurs when the lungs cannot pass enough oxygen into the blood or when carbon dioxide builds up in the body.

Double pneumonia is a serious infection in both lungs that can inflame and scar them, making it difficult to breathe.