(August 20, 2009) The plaster cast that Pope Benedict XVI had on his right hand after
fracturing his wrist during his vacation in the Italian Alps, last month, was removed
on Friday morning at the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo south-east of Rome.
The Pope’s personal physician, Dr. Patrizio Polisca issued a brief on Friday saying
the overall final result can be defined as optimal. He said an X-ray check-up showed
the fracture had healed well. A rehabilitation programme is already under way to
make the right wrist fully functional. The 82-year old Pope accidentally fell in
his mountain cottage at Les Combes in the Val D’Aosta region early on July 17 and
fractured his wrist. He was taken to Aosta hospital that day where doctors performed
surgery on his wrist and set it in a plaster cast. After his July 13-29 summer vacation
at Les Combes, the Pope is now spending the rest of summer at Castel Gandolfo.