The special liver transplant was from 8-month-old patient N.L.T, weighing 6.5kg, who suffered from end-stage cirrhosis due to congenital hypoglycemia. Despite undergoing Kasai surgery at 1.5 months old, the child's liver function did not improve. The child had to be hospitalized 1-2 times a week in increasingly serious condition, with bloating, enlarged abdomen, abdominal fluid and difficulty breathing due to epine contracted liver and diaphragm. A liver transplant is the only treatment.
When there was a source of liver donated from brain-dead people at Bach Mai Hospital, the Vinmec Professional Council immediately activated the interdisciplinary process. The surgery lasted more than 10 hours and was commanded by Associate Professor, Dr. Le Van Thanh - Senior Advisor of the Vinmec Medical System liver transplant program, one of the leading experts in liver transplantation in Vietnam.
According to Dr. Dao Duc Dung, surgeon of the mortology, Department of Gastroenterology - Doctor - Urinary Examination, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital - the main surgeon of the surgery: "With the history of the patient, the surgery poses very difficult problems with blood clotting disorder, pathology, and blood vessel formation".
Immediately after the surgery, the child cried loudly - a spectacular sign of recovery. Currently, the patient's health is progressing positively, liver function is improving, and sleeping well.
The particularly difficult and successful liver transplant not only marked a breakthrough in organ transplant techniques in Vietnam but also marked the smooth and scientific coordination between units inside and outside the Vinmec Health System to make the most of the "golden time" when liver leaves were taken from the donor's body.
Dr. Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Duc Huan - Director of Vinmec Times City Gastroenterology - liver - Immunology Center, Chairman of the liver Transplant Council said: "The donor is a brain-dead patient who donates many organs (heart, lung, liver, cornea), so the entire process of organ collection - transportation - transplantation requires close, consistent coordination and strict compliance with techniques and time".
liver transplantation is a difficult technique but has been fully implemented and mastered by Vinmec Health System since 2017, successfully performing many challenging transplants, such as: liver transplantation for children under 10kg, transplantation for patients with acute liver failure on the basis of chronic liver disease, patients with blood type difference, patients with third liver transplantation and especially cases with athletes in blood vessel and milk technology, or pathological changes in liver donors. Vinmec Health System is also the only private healthcare unit in Vietnam that performs liver transplantation techniques from living donors and ranks second in the country in the number of transplants of this type.
