In the early morning of May 20, the Truong Sa Town Medical Center (Truong Sa District, Khanh Hoa Province) received and promptly provided emergency care to a fisherman from Binh Thuan who suffered severe pressure reduction after diving to exploit seafood in Truong Sa waters.
The patient is Mr. Nguyen Dinh Diem (26 years old, residing in Thuan Quy commune, Ham Thuan Nam district, Binh Thuan province) - a crew member of fishing boat BTh 97986TS captained by Mr. Do Van Tham (from Phu Quy, Binh Thuan).
According to the person accompanying him, Mr. Diem had dived at a depth of about 20m from 0:00 to 2:00 a.m. on May 19, 2025.
About 10 minutes after floating on the water, he showed symptoms of chest pain, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, quarter-final muscle pain, and spots on the skin. After initial first aid at the canoe, he was taken to Tay A Stone Island Infirmary at 7:10 a.m. the same day.
At the time of admission, the patient was alert but had limited communication due to pain, low blood pressure (80 50 mmHg), SpO2 only reached 84%, bloating and pain, muscle pain, and no symptoms of the accommodation neurologist were detected.
Doctors at Tay A Stone Island Infirmary treated the emergency according to professional instructions from the Navy Medical Institute, underwater Medicine: high-flow oxygen breathing, fluids, pain relievers, corticosteroids and platelets.
At 2:30 a.m. on May 20, the patient was transferred to the Truong Sa Town Medical Center in a state of signs of hypoplasia in both legs, reduced sensation of groaning or lowering, urinary difficulty, and difficulty breathing, but the vital signs have improved: blood pressure 112/86 mmHg, SpO2 reached 95%.
Through examination and consultation, doctors and nurses determined that the patient had type II hypothyroidism - a serious illness with complications of respiratory failure and paralysis. The center has deployed oxygen therapy, used anticoagulants, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers and epidemics according to the coordinated plan with Military Hospital 175. The prognosis is assessed to be very severe, with a high risk of progressive paralysis and respiratory failure.
The Truong Sa Town Medical Center has reported the situation to superiors, requesting urgent transportation of patients to the mainland by helicopter for further intensive treatment.
