Vietnamese doctors have for the first time successfully saved a patient suffering from meningitis using a new technology that extracts blood clots through a patient's veins.
The operation was successfully carried out by doctors at the HCM City-based Nguyen Tri Phuong hospital and the HCM City Medicine and Pharmacy University.
Doctor Pham Anh Tuan at the Nguyen Tri Phuong hospital said the 30-year-old patient was hospitalised on January 7 with meningitis while also suffering from a brain haemorrhage.
After initial surgery, the patient recovered slightly but blood clots continued to form, blocking blood supply from the heart to the brain. This required doctors to apply the new technique to clear away blood clots, said Tuan.
Doctor Tran Chi Cuong from the university said this was the first time the technique had been applied in Vietnam.
We used to extract blood clots through arteries," he said.
"The patient was very close to death and we decided to apply the new technique.
Doctor Tuan said the patient is now in full possession of her senses and can drink and eat normally.
"However, the illness has left her paralysed on the left side," he said.
The patient is expected to be discharged from the hospital during the next two to three weeks./.
