Pope Francis was admitted to a Rome hospital for an operation on his abdomen on Wednesday, the latest in a number of health problems for the 86-year-old pontiff.

Pope Francis has gone to Rome's Gemelli hospital for a check-up. Earlier this year the pope, 86, spent five days in hospital with a lung infection and last month had to skip audiences due to a fever.

Pope Francis will have surgery on his abdomen on Wednesday afternoon at Rome's Gemelli hospital. He is expected to stay in hospital for "several days" to recover from the hernia operation, the Vatican said. The 86-year-old has faced a series of health issues in recent years, and uses a cane and a wheelchair due to a persistent knee ailment.

Pope Francis will spend “some days” in hospital after being admitted for an operation on his intestine, the Vatican has revealed.

ROME: Pope Francis will undergo an operation for a painful abdominal hernia on Wednesday (Jun 7), reviving concerns over the 86-year-old's increasingly fragile health. Francis was admitted mid-morning to the Gemelli hospital in Rome,

Pope Francis will undergo an operation for a painful abdominal hernia on Wednesday, reviving concerns over the 86-year-old's increasingly fragile health.

Watch the latest from ITV News - The Pope will be placed under general anaesthetic for surgery to his intestine and is expected to be hospitalised for several days, the Vatican has announced.