Military Hospital 175 has just successfully performed the first liver transplant from a living donor, marking an important step forward in the field of organ transplantation.
Waking up from the operating room after 7 hours of surgery, Mr. N.N.K (55 years old, living in Lam Dong province) was still shocked that his nephew and the team of doctors at Military Hospital 175 had saved his life.
According to Mr. K, at the end of 2020, he discovered he had hepatitis B. By the end of 2022, his condition was screened more closely and in early 2023, he began treatment for liver cancer at Military Hospital 175.
After a period of treatment, the doctors here advised Mr. K on a liver transplant to help him recover soon. Fortunately, Mr. K's nephew was compatible in terms of liver and blood type. After being fully consulted, the nephew agreed to donate part of his liver.
Mr. K shared: "Although I am old, I still believe that the medical team at the hospital will successfully transplant my liver. My health has improved. I am truly grateful to the doctors for their dedicated advice, encouragement and support throughout the treatment process."
Major, Master, Doctor Nguyen Van Manh (Digestive Surgery Department, Military Hospital 175) said that Mr. K was diagnosed with liver cancer about a year ago, with multiple tumors. Previous treatments were ineffective, and the tumors continued to recur. “In such cases, a liver transplant is the only chance to prolong the patient’s life,” said Doctor Manh.
According to Dr. Manh, the 7-hour surgery was a great success. The patient recovered and returned to the normal treatment area after a week. The liver donor also recovered quickly and was able to leave the hospital after a week, returning to a completely normal life.
To prepare for this first liver transplant, the hospital has invested heavily in facilities, equipment and especially in professional training for the medical team.
62 trainees were sent to train at the 108 Military Central Hospital from December 2022 to October 2024. The hospital has also developed 96 technical procedures and set up specialized areas that meet standards for liver retrieval and transplantation.
Dr. Manh added that liver transplantation is a specialized technique, requiring the coordination of more than 20 specialties, the core of which is surgery, anesthesia, resuscitation and post-transplant intensive care. The surgical team consists of 6 doctors, divided into two groups: one group takes the liver from the donor and the other group transplants the liver to the recipient.
“About 50 doctors, including direct and indirect support staff and departments related to equipment operation, participated in this process,” said Dr. Manh.
According to Dr. Manh, the hospital currently has many patients in need of liver transplants, but the source of donated livers is still a difficult problem.
Dr. Manh hopes to raise public awareness about the safety of liver donation surgery so that more people are willing to donate, bringing hope to patients with end-stage liver disease.
