The transplant team at the Hue Central Hospital in action (Photo: VNA)
The Hue Central Hospital has successfully performed four simultaneous organ transplants – heart, liver, and two corneal – thanks to cross-country organ donations, it announced on June 19.
All patients are currently stable and recovering well.
The transplants followed a coordination effort on June 12, when the hospital received information from the National Coordination Centre for Human Organ Transplantation about organ donations from a brain-dead donor.
On June 13, the hospital’s medical team travelled to Ho Chi Minh City to work with professionals from Thong Nhat Hospital and Military Central Hospital 108 to retrieve the organs.
Despite storm-related disruptions and flight delays, the organs were successfully transported via a combination of air and ground travel. The flight carrying the organs departed at 8:46 pm on June 13 and arrived at Phu Bai International Airport of central Hue city at 10:28 pm that night. Surgeries were initiated immediately upon arrival.
The heart was transplanted into a patient with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy and extremely poor heart function, who had previously suffered multiple cardiac arrests. The heart began beating again at 0:35 am on June 14, after five hours and 30 minutes of cold ischemia and 66 minutes of extracorporeal circulation support.
The liver was transplanted into a teenager born in 2009 with congenital biliary atresia. After years of treatment, including Kasai surgery and repeated hospitalisations, the patient’s liver condition had become life-threatening. The liver was reperfused at 1:53 am on June 14, following 6 hours and 45 minutes of cold ischemia.
Both transplant recipients were transferred to the recovery unit in stable condition.
In addition, two patients with corneal dystrophy – including one who was completely blind - underwent successful corneal transplants. Each procedure lasted about an hour. Post-surgery, both patients have shown gradual improvement in vision and are being closely monitored for rejection.
Prof. Dr. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of the Hue Central Hospital, praised the collaborative efforts between national agencies and hospitals, crediting the success to medical expertise and strong coordination. He also paid tribute to the donor and the bereaved family./.