Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high flows of oxygen, the Vatican said.
The 88-year-old Francis, who has been hospitalized for a week with pneumonia and a complex lung infection, also received blood transfusions after tests showed low counts of platelets, which are needed for clotting, associated with anemia, the Vatican said in a late update.
“The Holy Father’s condition continues to be critical, therefore, as explained yesterday (Friday), the Pope is not out of danger,” the statement said. The word “critical” was used for the first time in a written statement to describe Francis’ condition. The statement also said that the pontiff “continues to be alert and spent the day in an armchair although in more pain than yesterday. The prognosis is currently uncertain. Francis’ condition has been described as fluctuating and perilous by medical professionals. The update, which is drafted by Francis’ medical team but issued by the Vatican, also marked the first time the pope’s prognosis had been described as “reserved,” which suggests it’s in flux and requires close observation.
Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis would be the onset of sepsis, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. In their first comprehensive update on the pope’s condition, the pope’s medical team stated that Francis was responding to the various medications he is taking and that there was no evidence of sepsis as of Friday. Francis, who has chronic lung disease, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened.Doctors first diagnosed the complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it. The Vatican used the phrase “asthmatic respiratory crisis of prolonged magnitude, which also required the application of oxygen at high flows” for the first time in the update on Saturday. Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, said Friday the biggest threat facing Francis was that some of the germs that are currently located in his respiratory system pass into the bloodstream, causing sepsis. Sepsis can lead to organ failure and death.
Pope Francis now in critical condition, Vatican says
