Humanitarian gesture from the depths of loss
On March 21, Central Military Hospital 108 supported the implementation of a multi-organ transplant from a brain-dead donor, a 31-year-old young man, at E Hospital.
The young man passed away when life could no longer hold him back, he was diagnosed with brain death at E Hospital. From the depths of loss, his family chose to give a chance to live to many others, a brave and humane decision.
Immediately after his family agreed to donate organs to medicine, to other lives, at 9:00 am on the same day, experts from hospitals in Hanoi participated in a consultation, chaired by Lieutenant General, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hoang Ngoc - Secretary of the Party Committee, Deputy Director of Central Military Hospital 108.
The race against time
Lieutenant General, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Hoang Ngoc said: After nearly 2 hours of consultation, based on a comprehensive and careful assessment of cardiology, the right liver and one kidney were transferred to Military Central Hospital 108; one kidney was kept for transplantation at Hospital E; the left liver was coordinated to Vinmec Hospital for transplantation for a child; the lung was transferred to the Central Lung Hospital; two corneas were transferred to Military Hospital 103.
At 1:00 PM, doctors from Central Military Hospital 108, including many teams taking liver, kidney, heart, anesthesia and resuscitation,... were present at Hospital E to support the organ removal and transplantation.
Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Le Trung Hieu - Deputy Director in charge of the Organ Transplant Center, Central Military Hospital 108 shared: "In this transplant, we take on 3 important roles at the same time. First, it is to receive organs and successfully perform heart, liver, and kidney transplants at Central Military Hospital 108. Second, it is that we deploy from donor liver to perform transplants for two patients (right liver transferred to Central Military Hospital 108, left liver for pediatric patients at Vinmec Hospital), in order to optimize the source of donated organs. Third, it is that we send a team to perform kidney transplants right at your unit.
In this transplant, when the organs were removed at E Hospital, information about the time of aorta clamps, the time of removal from the donor's body, transportation time,... was continuously updated in real time to Central Military Hospital 108. Here, the transplant teams were ready, preparing step by step so that as soon as the organs arrived, surgery could be performed immediately.
At 4:00 PM, the heart was removed. At 4:28 PM, that heart was present at Central Military Hospital 108. At 4:25 PM, the liver was removed and at 5:00 PM, it returned in time.
At 4:45 pm, the kidney was removed and transported to Central Military Hospital 108.
Many patients are revived
Three ambulances carrying organs follow each other, carrying hope, racing with each fragile pace of life.
A child patient at Vinmec Hospital and a 53-year-old woman at Central Military Hospital 108 were saved thanks to the liver organs of the donor.
Senior Lieutenant Colonel, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Quang - Deputy Head of the Department of Liver - Gallbladder - Pancreas Surgery, Central Military Hospital 108 shared about liver transplantation techniques: This is one of the most complex techniques in organ transplantation and Central Military Hospital 108 routinely deploys this technique. This not only optimizes the source of precious organs but also expands the life chances for more patients, especially in the context that donated organs are still scarce.
Regarding liver transplant patients, 4 years ago, a female patient developed subcutaneous bleeding in patches of skin in contact or impact areas, went to the doctor and was diagnosed with cirrhosis suspected of being autoimmune hepatitis. Recently, the patient appeared tired, sometimes jaundiced, poor appetite, and difficulty sleeping. The patient went to the Central Military Hospital 108 for examination and was diagnosed with irreversible cirrhosis.
After the liver transplant, the patient's overall health was stable, and organ function continued to be monitored. For the heart transplant, the patient's health continued to be monitored and given special care.
Colonel, Dr. Nguyen Viet Hai - Director of the Urology and Andrology Center, Central Military Hospital 108 said: We organized and divided into 2 kidney transplant teams: one team performing kidney transplant at E Hospital; one transplant team at Central Military Hospital 108. From the recipient evaluation stage, each surgical operation, we ensured that the transplant was deployed safely and accurately. The transplanted kidneys of both cases operated well, urine was clear, and the overall condition of the patients was stable.
