At the sharing ceremony, a representative of Cho Ray Hospital said that in just 3 days (November 7-9/2025), the team of doctors and nurses worked continuously, regardless of day or night to promptly receive two donations and organ transplants, bringing the lives of seven patients: two heart transplants, four kidney transplants and one lung transplant. Notably, this is also the first lung transplant in the Southern region, marking a new step forward in Vietnamese medicine.
The first case is a 49-year-old male patient (HCMC), who suffered a serious traumatic brain injury due to a household accident. Despite active treatment, the patient did not survive. The family decided to donate all of his organs, including his heart, lungs, two kidneys and two corneas, to save those who need to survive. From that sacred gesture, Cho Ray Hospital urgently coordinated with the National Organ Transplant Coordination Center and hospitals in three regions to perform transplants overnight.
By dawn on November 8, the first four transplants had been successful. In particular, the lung transplant for a 39-year-old male patient with end-stage pulmonary fibrosis has opened a historic milestone for Southern medicine.
Dr. Nguyen Hoang Binh - Head of the Department of Thoracic Surgery shared: "Pneumone transplantation is a journey from a number of numbers to a number of numbers. Surgery requires two teams of surgical procedures to coordinate smoothly, one team to collect and preserve organs, one team to transplant, to shorten the time of anemia and ensure the quality of transplanted lungs. The active resuscitation work and the support of domestic and foreign experts have contributed significantly to the success". Currently, the patient is recovering well after the transplant, with stable vital signs.
Immediately after completing the first transplant, on the night of November 7, Cho Ray Hospital received another organ donation from a 32-year-old patient with a traumatic brain injury due to a traffic accident. The family agreed to donate heart, lung, liver and two kidneys. This time, the agencies are coordinated to many hospitals: heart and kidney for Cho Ray, liver for Hue and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, lungs are transferred to Hanoi for the Central Lung Hospital.
Due to the time difference, the team of the Central Lung Institute could not get in time. The surgical team of Cho Ray Hospital has proactively received, preserved and transported lungs to Hanoi, ensuring compliance with international standards. This flexible form of coordination helps save human resources, costs and time for organ preservation, a step closer to the world's organ coordination process.
During the sharing session, the story of the donor's family moved many people. The donor's 22-year-old daughter said in tears: " followed is no longer here, but if you can help someone else live, it would be a happiness." The mother calmly continued: "My daughter just asked: "Mom, you want to do this, do you agree?". I nodded. Saving someone is also a way to continue his life".
According to BSCKII Pham Thanh Viet - Deputy Director in charge of running Cho Ray Hospital, the success of two consecutive organ donations and transplants is the result of a spirit of dedication, high professional qualifications and smooth coordination between agencies and units across the country. This is not only a medical achievement but also a testament to the profound human values, when life is carried on from love and sharing.
