Francis, who has been in the hospital since Feb 14, rested, prayed in his private chapel and participated in Mass for the rest of the day earlier. Photo: AP Francis, who has been in the hospital since Feb 14, rested, prayed in his private chapel and participated in Mass for the rest of the day earlier. Photo: AP

In the latest of Pope Francis’ health, the 88-year-old pontiff experienced two episodes of acute respiratory failure, the Vatican said on March 3667bet, marking the latest in a series of medical crises he has endured since he was first hospitalized last month.

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These latest episodes were caused by significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus and a consequent narrowing of the airways, the Vatican said. Earlier in the day, the pope underwent two bronchoscopies and doctors removed a buildup of secretions.

In the afternoon, Francis received oxygen through a mask to assist with his breathing, as reported by the Vatican. Throughout the process, the pontiff stayed alert and cooperative, according to the Vatican.

"It was a challenging afternoon," Vatican sources told CNN, explaining that the acute respiratory issue, which persisted for part of the afternoon, has now passed, and the pope is resting.

The sources also explained that the buildup of mucus was a result of pneumonia,betef.com which caused coughing and spasms as the bronchi attempted to expel the mucus, irritating them. Dr. Theodore Iwashyna, a professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Johns Hopkins University, informed CNN that a bronchoscopy is a moderately invasive procedure, and it is concerning to need two bronchoscopies in a short period to manage the secretions.

“In a person that’s quite ill and requires non-invasive ventilatory support, you would usually need to have a good reason to do it,” Iwashyna said, adding that mucus buildup is not a positive sign in a patient with pneumonia. “As your pneumonia gets better you’ll produce less mucus. Sometimes as your pneumonia gets better you finally get strong enough to cough it up,” he added.

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Improvement In Health

The Vatican had earlier said that the Pope is showing signs of improvement, with his condition remaining stable and no need for mechanical ventilation.

Francis, who has been in the hospital since Feb 14, rested, prayed in his private chapel and participated in Mass for the rest of the day after having a visit in the morning from the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and his chief of staff, Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra.

The content of their talks wasn't known667bet, but even when at the Vatican, Francis meets at least weekly with them.