ROME (NEWSnet/AP) — Pope Francis arrived at a hospital Wednesday to undergo abdominal surgery to treat an intestinal blockage, two years after he had part of his colon removed because of a narrowing of the large intestine.

The Vatican said Francis, 86, would be put under general anesthesia for the procedure and be hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital for several days.

He will undergo what the Vatican said was a “laparotomy and abdominal wall plastic surgery with prosthesis” to treat a “recurrent, painful and worsening” constriction of the intestine. A laparotomy is open abdominal surgery. The statement said Francis was suffering from a blocked laparocele, which is a hernia that formed over a previous scar.

In July 2021, Francis spent 10 days at Gemelli to remove 13 inches of his large intestine. He said later that he hadn’t responded well to the general anesthetic. That reaction in part explained his reluctance to have surgery to repair strained knee ligaments.

The fact that he is going back for surgery suggests he had little choice but to treat the intestinal issue.

Francis initially went to the Gemelli on Tuesday for what the Vatican said were medical tests. It revealed no details at the time.

Francis remains in charge of the Vatican and the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church, even while in treatment at the hospital.

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