Pope Francis, hospitalized with pneumonia, experienced a breathing "crisis" on Friday that led to vomiting, but he was given oxygen and responded well, the Vatican reported.
The 88-year-old, who has spent the past two weeks at Rome's Gemelli hospital, "presented an isolated crisis of bronchospasm which... led to an episode of vomiting with inhalation and a sudden worsening of the respiratory picture", it said in a statement.
"The Holy Father promptly underwent bronchoaspiration and began non-invasive mechanical ventilation, with a good response on gas exchange," it said.
Francis "remained alert and oriented at all times, cooperating with the therapeutic maneuvers," it added.
The pope was hospitalized on Feb. 14 for breathing difficulties but his condition deteriorated into pneumonia in both lungs, sparking widespread alarm.
He suffered a breathing attack at the weekend, but since then appeared to have been getting slightly better, with the Vatican releasing more optimistic medical updates.
A Vatican source went so far Friday as to say Francis's condition was not currently critical following incremental improvements in his condition.
Doctors decided to keep Francis' prognosis guarded and indicated they needed 24-48 hours to evaluate how and if the episode had impacted his overall clinical condition.
The episode, which doctors described as an "isolated crisis of bronchial spasm" was a coughing fit in which Francis inhaled vomit. The longer respiratory crisis Francis suffered on Feb. 22 was a crisis in actually breathing, the Vatican said.
Doctors did not resume referring to Francis in "critical condition," which has been absent from their statements for three days now. But they have been cautious in declaring him out of danger entirely, given the complexity of his case.
The Vatican has already made alternative plans for Ash Wednesday next week, making clear Francis still had a long road ahead. Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, a Vatican official and former vicar of Rome, will preside over the March 5 ceremony and procession that inaugurates the church's solemn Lenten season leading up to Easter in April.
Earlier Friday, Francis had spent the morning alternating high flows of supplemental oxygen with a mask and praying in the chapel. He had breakfast, read the day's newspapers and was receiving respiratory physiotherapy, the Vatican said.
The Vatican also published a document signed by Francis on Feb. 26 "From the Gemelli Polyclinic," a new tagline that showed Francis was still working from the hospital.
