Under the theme “The Miracle of Organ Transplantation: Success in Cross-Vietnam Heart Transplant and Liver Split at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City,” the session provided detailed information about the hospital’s first cross-country heart transplant and the liver-split transplant procedure.

The touching story of the young man who donated his organs to save five lives.

The heart donor for the patient at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City was Mr. N.Đ.T., 32 years old. According to Xanh Pôn General Hospital (Hanoi), on the night of August 22, Mr. N.Đ.T. was admitted in critical condition following a severe traffic accident.

At 3:15 a.m. on August 23, the medical team conducted a clinical evaluation and suspected that the patient had suffered brain death.

After three thorough and detailed assessments by leading specialists, it was confirmed that the patient could not survive.

Despite the doctors’ dedicated efforts to save him, due to the severity of his injuries, Mr. T. was diagnosed as brain-dead, and his family agreed to donate his organs to save others.

His heart was transported to the airport to "fly" south for a transplant at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City.

The heart left operating room 2 at Xanh Pôn General Hospital in Hanoi at 8:00 p.m. on August 24, under strict protection and with the support of hundreds of doctors, healthcare staff, and coordination from multiple government agencies along the cross-Vietnam journey.

The total time from when Mr. T.’s heart was removed in Hanoi to when it began beating in the recipient’s body in Ho Chi Minh City was approximately 10 hours.

Meanwhile, his liver was transplanted into a critically ill patient at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital in Hanoi; two kidneys were transplanted at Xanh Pôn Hospital, and his corneas were transplanted at 108 Central Military Hospital.

The heart continues to beat

Two patients receiving organ donations from the young man in Hanoi are gradually recovering

 

The heart transplant recipient is Mr. L.A.H. (born 1987, from Gia Lai province), who was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and had very poor heart function. Without a timely heart transplant, his survival would have been limited.

He had been registered on the National Organ Coordination Center’s waiting list.

In the early hours of August 24, the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City received notification that a compatible heart was available for the patient.

The surgery lasted five hours, from the moment the heart was transplanted at midnight on August 24 until 3 a.m. on August 25.

After the operation, the patient’s arterial hemodynamics were relatively stable, but close monitoring is still required, especially during the first three days post-surgery.

Associate Professor Nguyễn Hoàng Định, Deputy Director of the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, shared about this extraordinary heart transplant journey. Upon receiving news of a heart donor, the entire hospital system, involving hundreds of staff members, was immediately activated.

The surgery carried significant challenges, as the heart recipient faced multiple risks, including high pulmonary artery pressure and potential post-operative heart failure, which could complicate recovery. Additionally, the patient had a rare Rh-negative blood type, making it difficult to identify unusual antibodies and prepare compatible blood.

After a period of intense pressure and concern, the surgery yielded promising results. According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyễn Hoàng Bắc, Director of the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, the heart transplant patient has been extubated and is now awake. The patient will soon return home to start a new chapter of life.

“After many years of preparing the heart transplant process, we have been waiting for this moment for a long time. The success of the hospital’s first heart transplant is a very joyful event for us. The patient receiving a new heart is a blessing for their family. We are grateful to the donor’s family for entrusting us with this gift of life,” Dr. Bắc shared.

Dr. Định added that because the patient had a rare Rh-negative blood type (less than 1% of the population), the hospital coordinated with medical staff and the blood bank to ensure compatible blood was ready during the surgery.

“Every minute was precisely coordinated. Any delay could have caused prolonged ischemia, significantly increasing the risk of failure. During transport, nurses continuously administered protective solutions to the heart,” Dr. Định explained.

By 3 a.m. on August 25, the heart began beating for the first time in L.A.H.’s chest at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City.

Mr. L.A.K., the older brother of L.A.H. (the heart transplant recipient), emotionally shared: "Our family will never forget this gratitude. On the afternoon of August 24, upon receiving the notification from the hospital that my brother needed to be in Ho Chi Minh City immediately for the heart transplant, we flew in just in time."

Mr. K. explained that before the transplant, his brother often had difficulty breathing and even experienced brief periods of apnea. His condition was severe, and he also had a rare blood type. The family was constantly worried and mentally prepared for the worst-case scenario.

"But it’s truly miraculous, my brother has been saved. There are no words to express the joy we feel," Mr. K. said emotionally.

He expressed deep gratitude to the donor’s family for giving the gift of life before passing away. He also extended his thanks to the team of doctors, hospitals, and government agencies that supported the entire journey of giving his brother a new chance at life.

According to Associate Professor Hoàng Bắc, to carry out organ transplants, beyond organizing the procedure within the hospital, there was coordinated support from many authorities. The success of this heart transplant was also thanks to the joint efforts of various agencies such as Vietnam Airlines, Nội Bài International Airport, Hanoi Police, and Ho Chi Minh City Police, which helped minimize the time needed to transport the donor’s heart from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

At every intersection, traffic police provided assistance, allowing the transport from Tân Sơn Nhất Airport to the University Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City to take just over 8 minutes.

During the information-sharing session, the doctors also advised the organ recipients: "Live well as a way of expressing gratitude to the organ donor."