Failure

N.H., 51, an overseas Vietnamese living in the US, endured a dramatic medical journey, from near-death moments in the US to a surprisingly successful surgery in Vietnam in July.

H. told VietNamNet that in May 2025, severe abdominal pain forced her to seek emergency care at a major Los Angeles hospital.

Doctors found hundreds of gallstones blocking her bile duct. They recommended gallbladder removal surgery, but the planned surgery could not be implemented, because of her serious anesthesia complications.

“That surgery still haunts me. When surgeons inserted the breathing tube, my throat constricted, feeling suffocated. In a daze, tears streamed as I prayed for someone to clear the fluid so I could breathe. I thought I was dying, waiting for each second to breathe,” H. recalled.

After critical minutes, she was rushed to a special emergency room where staff promptly cleared fluids, helping her survive. After four days of intensive care, she was discharged but unable to undergo surgery.

H. recalled a similar incident in Vietnam during a cosmetic liposuction procedure where anesthesia failed. The doctor warned: “You must never undergo anesthesia again. Note this in your medical records.”

Yet, she didn’t fully grasp the danger until the failed surgery in the US.

Success

In late July, H. returned to Vietnam on business and sought gallstone treatment in her homeland.

“I had to remove my gallbladder but couldn’t be anesthetized, a real dilemma, and I needed doctors’ advice,” H. said.

At first in HCMC, she took an insurance policy to cover surgery costs at a major private hospital. However, advised by a childhood friend, who is now a doctor in HCMC, she chose Trung Vuong Hospital for consultation.

There, she shared her gallstone condition and history of two failed anesthesia attempts.

“I felt reassured sharing my failed surgery due to anesthesia issues. The doctors listened carefully, understood my experience, explained thoroughly, and gave me absolute confidence. Finally, I decided to undergo surgery on August 1,” H. recounted.

Before the operation, the hospital conducted thorough checks and found H.’s allergies to over 20 antigens, overweight, and sleep apnea syndrome, the factors increasing complication risks.

The team then applied a special anesthesia method and strict monitoring during the operation. Thanks to thorough preparation, the operation succeeded with 481 gallstones removed from her gallbladder.

H was discharged from hospital on August 4. The total expenses for the surgery, including room services, were just 2-3 percent of the expenses in the US.

Gallstones are common in Vietnam, affecting 8-10 percent of the population.

Phuong Thuy