Pittsburgh Diocese: Bishop David Zubik surgery successful, injury worse than thought

Bishop David Zubik underwent successful shoulder surgery Monday, but Diocese of Pittsburgh officials said the bishop’s injury was worse than initially thought.

The surgery to repair a “significant tear” in Zubik’s left shoulder took two hours, said diocesan spokesperson Jennifer Antkowiak. The surgeon at UPMC Mercy found the damage more extensive than anticipated, but the tear was still able to be repaired.

It was not Zubik’s first time under the knife: He has undergone multiple back surgeries dating back more than a decade. In 2010, he underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc, followed by surgery for a similar but separate issue nine months later.

Zubik, 72, had surgery again in 2017 after debilitating back problems left him with numbness in his right foot, which forced him to stop driving for a time. In 2019, he underwent a spinal fusion to fix collapsing discs.

Zubik, in a statement released Sunday, joked about his long string of surgeries.

“Given my past back surgeries, I feel that I am well on the way to becoming a ‘bionic bishop,’ ” he said.

Despite the injury being more serious than originally thought, Zubik’s recovery time remains the same, Antkowiak said. His left arm will be incapacitated for about six weeks followed by up to eight months of physical therapy.

“It is my intention to the best of my ability to fulfill my commitments,” Zubik said. “I beg your patience and prayers that I may do so. It is my hope that I will be ready to embrace Holy Week with both arms.”