Pope John Paul II, suffering a relapse of fever and respiratory problems, was rushed to the hospital Thursday and underwent a tracheotomy to allow him to breathe.
The hospitalization of the fragile 84-year-old pontiff, just two weeks after he was released from the Gemelli hospital for similar, flulike symptoms, called into question his ability to continue his 26-year reign as leader of the world’s 1 billion Roman Catholics.
The pope had seemed to be gradually regaining his strength since his release from the hospital two weeks ago. On Wednesday, he gave a virtual general audience, addressing thousands of pilgrims via a television link from his study.
Although he sounded hoarse, the 25-minute address was his longest public appearance since leaving the hospital.
But the pontiff, who has Parkinson’s disease, failed to attend a scheduled engagement Thursday morning to approve the declaration of new saints. His condition had deteriorated, and at 11:30 a.m., the pope was re-admitted to his private suite of rooms on the 10th floor of the Gemelli hospital on the outskirts of Rome.
Italian news media, quoting hospital officials, reported that the pope was brought to Gemelli in an ambulance and was conscious when he arrived. The Vatican announced late Thursday that the 30-minute tracheotomy operation had been successful.
The surgery involves cutting a hole in the windpipe to allow a breathing tube to be inserted.
Because people do not normally succumb twice to the flu in one season, outside experts speculated that he had pneumonia–potentially fatal in the old, the sick and the weak.
“It appears the pope is suffering from pneumonia, likely a bacterial pneumonia, a serious problem for a man of his age with Parkinson’s,” said Dr. Barbara Paris, chairwoman of geriatrics and vice-chairwoman of medicine at Maimonides Medical Center in New York.
The Vatican, eager as ever to control news about the pope’s health, released a terse statement from Dr. Joaquin Navarro-Valls, the chief papal spokesman, saying the pope was undergoing “specialist treatment and further checkups.”
The pope’s continued weakness raised anew questions of whether he should resign–something he has said he would never consider.
Vatican officials have argued that the pope’s struggle with age and sickness sets an example of stoicism and faith in the face of pain.
