Vietnam performs first transplant of lung from brain-dead donor
Vietnam’s first patient undergoing a lung transplant with the organ donated by a brain-dead person is now in stable health 16 days after the operation, doctors said.
Scene at the lung transplant at the Central Military Hospital 108 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’sfirst patient undergoing a lung transplant with the organ donated by abrain-dead person is now in stable health 16 days after the operation, doctorssaid.
Lieut. Gen. Mai Hong Bang,Director of Central Military Hospital 108, which performed the surgery, told apress conference on March 16 that the 52-year-old patient Tran Ngoc H from NamDinh province was diagnosed with acute respiratory failure due to hisfull-blown chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The patient’s only chance tosurvive was lung transplant.
After finding a brain-dead donor,the hospital held a 40-hour inter-hospital consultation and decided to performthe transplant for the patient. The plant lasted up to eight hours on February26.
A week after the operation, thepatient’s health recovered positively. After 16 days, the patient can breathehimself, walk around the room, and eat gruel, with good results gained indifferent medical tests.
Bang said the donor’s organs wereused for kidney, cornea, and heart transplants for six other people.
To date, the hospital hassuccessfully performed 18 kidney transplants, one liver transplant, 14 corneatransplants, and 27 marrow transplants.-VNA
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There are 18 hospitals qualified for organ transplantation in Vietnam at present, 25 years since the first successful kidney transplant in the country.
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The 56-year-old patient from Quang Tri province was discharged in stable condition as he no longer experienced shortness of breath and was able to walk, move around, and eat normally.
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After such a long time, the law has revealed many limitations, prompting the Ministry of Health (MoH) to gather opinions to amend the law to give more chances to thousands of patients every year.
Currently, cardiovascular specialists from the 108 Military Central Hospital are working alongside a team of Prof.Dr. Jan D. Schmitto, Deputy Director of MHH’s Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery on clinical trials for MCS devices, implanted in heart failure patients either as a bridge to transplantation or as permanent treatment.
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After more than three weeks of intensive treatment, the patient's pneumonia improved, breathing stabilised, sedation was reduced, and the breathing tube was removed. He is now conscious, able to eat orally, and in recovery.
Scene at the lung transplant at the Central Military Hospital 108 (Photo: VNA) 
