Pope Francis is alert, breathing without assistance, and in a good overall condition following intestinal surgery, while expected to stay in hospital for seven days barring any complications, the Vatican said on Monday.

Spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement that the 84-year-old pope's operation on Sunday night, by a 10-person surgical team at Rome's Gemelli hospital, had lasted about three hours.

Francis underwent the scheduled surgery for symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon, a condition in which sac-like pouches protrude from the muscular layer of the colon, leading it to become narrow.

In addition to causing pain, the condition, which is more common in older people, can lead to bloating, inflammation, and difficulty in bowel movement.