Breakthrough turning points
The first organ transplant in Vietnam was performed in 1992 at Military Hospital 103 with a successful kidney transplant from a life-saving person, launching a journey to access top-notch medical techniques. In the early years, the number of transplants was still small, mainly kidney and liver transplants from people who gave them life, while organ transplants from brain-dead people were not feasible due to lack of legal corridors and limited public awareness.
The turning point came in 2010, when Vietnam successfully performed the first heart transplant from a brain-dead person, marking the remarkable maturity of the domestic medical team.
In 2024, the Vietnamese organ transplant industry will make a special mark with two typical medical events, notably a simultaneous heart and liver transplant at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital - an unprecedented major surgery.
The patient is Mr. D.V.H, 41 years old, suffering from end-stage heart and liver failure, with only one chance of survival, which is to perform both organ transplants at the same time. The organs came from a 36-year-old man in Nghe An who was involved in a traffic accident and was determined to be brain dead.
Great surgery lasted 8 hours, the team of doctors coordinated smoothly, helping the heart donated to beat back in the chest of the recipient, the liver revived and the biochemical indicators returned to normal - demonstrating the peak of the professional and human spirit of the Vietnamese medical industry.
The surgery not only saved a patient in critical condition, but also marked a big step forward for the Vietnamese organ transplant industry. That is a testament to the ability to master the world's leading complex medical techniques.
Last March, for the first time, Vietnamese doctors successfully performed a partial artificial heart transplant. The patient, Ms. H.T.X (46 years old, Thanh Hoa), with end-stage heart failure and serious complications, was prescribed a transplant with left-sided tricuspid supportive device LVAD - which helps pump blood from the heart into the major artery, maintaining circulation and prolonging life.
The surgery lasted 4 hours, performed by 108 Central Military Hospital. After two weeks, the patient recovered well, could walk and live normally - marking a remarkable step forward, bringing Vietnam closer to the world's medical standard.
Talking numbers
By the end of 2024, Vietnam had performed 9,516 organ transplants at 27 hospitals and centers nationwide. In the past 3 years, there have been about 1,000 transplants each year - the highest in Southeast Asia, with a success rate not inferior to other countries in the region. Many hospitals such as Cho Ray, Viet Duc, Hue Central Hospital, and Military Hospital 103 have become leading organ transplant centers with the capacity to train and transfer techniques.
Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Tien - President of the Vietnam Tissue and Body parts donation Association - said that the Vietnamese organ transplant industry not only registered for outstanding events but also affirmed its position on the regional and world medical map. This is a common pride of the entire health sector, and at the same time a motivation for us to continue to conquer new heights.
Despite its proud achievements, the Vietnamese organ transplant industry still faces many challenges. The number of people who need transplants each year is estimated at tens of thousands, but organ resources are extremely scarce. Most transplants depend on the liver, while the organ donation rate after brain death is still very low. That is a big gap that needs to be filled with appropriate communication, education and legal corridors.
The cost of organ transplants is still high compared to the income of the majority of people. Although some techniques have been covered by health insurance, patients still have to bear many costs outside the insurance scope, especially against transplant drugs. Therefore, it is necessary to build a reasonable financial mechanism to expand access opportunities.
With the determination from the health sector, the companion of the community and the efforts of the team of medical doctors, the Vietnamese organ transplant industry is in the bright future. The goal by 2030 is to double the number of liver, heart, lung transplant and universal organ coordination system nationwide.
