For the first time, Vietnam successfully separated a human liver

The information was given by experts at a press conference sharing about multi-organ coordination of brain-dead patients from provincial hospitals held on the afternoon of April 8.

Associate Professor, Dr. Dong Van He, Director of the National Organ Transplant Coordination Center, Deputy Director of Viet Duc University Hospital, said that the success of the donation has two major characteristics. Firstly, Vietnam - Sweden Uong Bi Hospital is the first hospital without organ transplants to diagnose and resuscitate brain death . For the first time, the brain-dead donor's liver was successfully split to transplant into two people (1 child, 1 adult) , creating a new milestone for liver transplantation in Vietnam.

"This is an important milestone in building the core, forming and expanding the nationwide organ donation network that the center has made efforts to build in recent times," Associate Professor Dong Van He said.

At the end of March 2024, a young man, born in 1988, in Quang Ninh, suffered a severe brain injury after a traffic accident. The man was taken to the hospital in a coma, his pupils on both sides were maximally dilated, losing light reflex. This person received intensive treatment and resuscitation, but a miracle did not come. When advised by the doctor to donate tissues and organs after brain death, the patient's family agreed.

Doctors collect donated organs at the Vietnam-Swedish Hospital Uong Bi, Quang Ninh province.

Immediately, the National Organ Transplant Coordination Center and related medical facilities developed a plan to harvest multiple organ tissues and compiled a list of patients who will receive transplants from this donor.

Donated organs including the heart, left kidney, part of the left liver were sent to Hue Central Hospital, part of the right liver and right kidney were sent to Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, two corneas were transferred to the Hospital. Central Army 108.

The organ removal surgery was carried out on the night of April 1, with the participation of 120 doctors, nurses, and technicians divided into several teams. Among them, Vietnam's leading organ transplant centers sent doctors and nurses to Quang Ninh to participate in organ removal surgery.

After 4 hours of continuous surgery, the team successfully removed the organs as expected and transported them to the units for transplantation to the patient.

On the afternoon of April 2, all organs were transplanted and well-perfused, bringing hope of life to many other patients.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Dong Van He, Vietnam has the lowest number of tissue and organ donation cases in the world, behind Malaysia and Thailand. To further improve tissue and organ donation, the attention and direction of hospital leaders plays a decisive role.

"To date, only 22/68 hospitals have established consulting groups. Many other medical facilities are not really interested in promoting tissue and organ donation. One of the important things to develop the network is Hospitals need policies for tissue and organ donation activities. Hospital leaders need to create conditions and support for consultants to operate. This is important and necessary to promote donation sources. tissues and organs in the near future," Associate Professor He said.