VietNamNet Bridge – Many Vietnamese people think of infusion pumping whenever they have a fever or feel tired without knowing the risks of this technique.

The latest victim of infusion pumping is Mr. Chu Dinh Thanh, 43 years old, in the central province of Thanh Hoa. Feeling tired, he went to a private clinic to pumping two bottles of water into his body. When the second bottle was nearly empty, the men fell into a coma and died after about 20 minutes.

On August 18, the Thanh Hoa Department of Health’s representative said the victim was dead due to anaphylactic shock during the infusion process. Autopsy results showed that the victim’s lungs had a lot of water.

Similar cases have been reported before. In the central province of Binh Dinh, a village nurse performed infusion pumping for two children, who had a fever, and both kids died of anaphylactic shock.

The Children's Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City previously treated a baby with pulmonary edema because of infusion pumping. It is reported that the baby had a prolonged fever and was pumped with infusion at a private clinic for three consecutive days. After the 9th bottle, the baby’s situation got worse and he was brought to the hospital.

There are many kinds of infusion and the most common kinds provide salt, sugar and electrolytes such as glucose 5% and 10% as well as energy and nutrients.

Dr. Nguyen Tien Dung, head of the pediatrics ward of the Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi), said abuse of infusion without the doctor’s instruction is very dangerous. The infusion pumping must be conducted at clinics that have adequate conditions for treatment of anaphylactic shock.

Le Ha