Doctors perform the operation on February 9. (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) – The National Lung Hospital in Hanoi conducted a successful lung transplant for a 21-year-old woman on February 9. Twelve hours post-surgery, the patient regained consciousness and was able to breathe with the newly transplanted lungs.
Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan on February 15 visited and congratulated the doctors and patient in the transplan operation. She emphasized that this is an important milestone in the field of organ transplantation, testifying to the local medical team’s global-level expertise.
The minister also expressed her deep gratitude to organ donors and their families for helping to save many lives, including the young patient who successfully received lung transplant.
She hoped for the continued success of the organ donor programme, and the medical facilities to develop organ transplant techniques up to international standards to save as many patients as possible.
She said the Ministry of Health is also participating in drafting amendments to the Law on Donation, to improve the legal process of transplanting human tissues and organs.
Director of the National Lung Hospital Dr. Dinh Van Luong revealed that the lungs used in the case were donated by a 26-year-old man who died after a traffic accident.
Director of the National Lung Hospital Dr. Dinh Van Luong. (Photo: VietnamPlus) The organs were taken from the Central Military Hospital 108 and transported to the National Lung Hospital on the same day.
The National Lung Hospital mobilized approximately 80 personnel for the operation, with support from various medical institutions, including the National Organ Transplant Coordination Centre, Central Military Hospital 108, Hospital E, Huu Nghi (Friendship) Hospital and Hanoi Heart Hospital.
The decision to proceed with the lung transplant surgery was made after consultation with healthcare experts. The procedure, led by Dinh Van Luong and supported by specialists from the Central Pulmonary Hospital, Prof. Dr. Le Ngoc Thanh, and experts from Hospital E, took place on February 9, and took 12 hours to complete.
Twelve hours post-surgery, the patient wakes up breathing with the newly transplanted lungs. (Photo: VietnamPlus) The transplant met the highest standards set by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), a prestigious lung transplant centre in the United States. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as lung transplants are complex and usually carried out in developed countries due to their intricacy and high cost. The success of this transplant on a financially challenged patient from Bac Kan's highland region reflects the exceptional progress of the National Lung Hospital's medical team.
Lung transplants pose significant challenges, requiring precise coordination among various departments. Thorough assessments of both donor and recipient lung conditions, intricate extraction and transplant processes, and expertise in infection control and other major health parameters are essential for success.
On the first day after the transplant, the patient exhibited an excellent recovery, with stable respiratory indicators.
Previously, the National Lung Hospital had successfully collaborated with other medical institutions in performing lung transplant surgeries. This includes a case where two lungs were transplanted for a 56-year-old man in Thanh Hoa. This case was deemed the most comprehensive success in Vietnam, achieving the longest survival time.
A lung transplant patient congratulates doctors and nurses of the National Lung Hospital on Vietnamese Doctor's Day. (Photo: VietnamPlus) The success of these lung transplant cases illustrates Vietnam's proficiency in advanced organ transplantation techniques. They represent a notable achievement for the Vietnamese healthcare sector, bringing significant value to the health of patients and the broader population./.
