The Pope's Conditions. "Inevitable Swing, Prognosis Will Be Released Later"

Elena Bignami is president of Siaarti, the Italian Society of Anesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care and is a full professor in Parma, where she leads one of the hospital's resuscitation units.

After Saturday's crisis , yesterday's Gemelli bulletin spoke of a "slight improvement" for the Pope. The prognosis is reserved, what must happen for it to be lifted?

"We still need more days like this, of relative stability and even slight improvement. If we continue like this for a while longer, the prognosis could be resolved. But a precise number of days cannot be hypothesized at the moment."

Are the ups and downs in patients like the Pope typical?

"Yes, they are normal, especially when we are talking about elderly patients like him. Let's say, however, that things can still go well, the important thing is to continue the therapies started at Gemelli and to keep the patient well monitored, which is what colleagues are doing".

The Pope is still being given oxygen. Will a patient like him be able to stop using it in the future?

"After the crisis the other day he still needs help, but it is a good sign that the amount of oxygen he is receiving has been slightly reduced. He has had a relapse of a chronic form, so we can think that if all goes well he can free himself from this type of assistance. Obviously we must avoid new infections, because they would increase the problems, making the recovery more complex."

There are also reassuring words regarding the condition of the kidneys .

“Kidney failure within certain limits is normal, in patients in these conditions. This too is reversible, if treated with hydration and indeed oxygen. At this stage it is not a worrying problem”.

Sepsis, an infection that spreads to all organs, has been mentioned by Gemelli doctors as one of the most feared problems. Could the Pope already have it?

“It is not clear, but even if it were already there it would be under control thanks to the therapy, as demonstrated by the stability of the clinical picture”.

The second part of the bulletin is dedicated to the Pope's activities: work, phone calls, the Eucharist. " Certainly the fact that the Holy Father wants to interact with people and work is a good sign. Perhaps not very clinical, but still significant of the patient's general condition."