Endoscopy was first introduced in Vietnam by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tan Cuong.

 Beyond being known as the father of national ­endoscopy, as well as City ­International Hospital’s brilliant surgeon, he has played a pioneering role in fearlessly taking on each and every one of his patient’s fights for more than 40 years. To his medical students, as well as patients, Cuong is an important source of inspiration and a significant influence on morality in healthcare. One of his popular sayings to understand healthcare decisions is, “to win big at the end of life, you sometimes have to take big risks”.

Having learned minimally-invasive surgery in the United States and South Korea, Cuong was determined to become Vietnam’s first doctor to ever successfully perform a liver transplant. He went on to collaborate with Asian Medical Center, South Korea’s largest hospital, and was awarded the Vietnam Gold Star by the government of Vietnam.

After being trained overseas, he returned to Vietnam with his vast knowledge with the mission of saving and improving the quality of national healthcare. Currently, he serves as the medical director of City International Hospital, thanks to his strong knowledge after years of experience and conducting research in Vietnam and abroad. Cuong always devotes himself to his patients and often says, “the doctor must be as gentle as a parent, and each patient is a part of your family.”

On a daily basis, he works alongside other major clinical specialists and has created a wide-ranging team which includes endoscopy, cardiology, vascular intervention, and neurosurgery. By the end of last year, City International Hospital proudly launched new initiatives such as a new EMS-based satellite station and international services medical centre.

Cuong is wellknown for his non-stop devotion to modern healthcare, and his innovative medical techniques. One such example includes an incident last year when he took part in a surgical removal of a patient’s liver without a blood transfusion. He is responsible for countless life-saving surgeries, specialising in Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary surgery and advanced gastrointestinal surgery.

“When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts and offer unconditional support. That’s when a doctor will learn how to be there and fight until the end for the people who need them most,” he once said.

In modern times, doctors use endoscopy as a powerful diagnostic tool. According to Cuong, for the last 20 years, laparoscopic surgery has done all that open surgery has done for 2,000 years. There has never been any medical invention that has had such a great influence and provided such a profound alternative to the entire surgical industry as endoscopy has contributed. Endoscopic surgery is much more of a minimally-invasive surgical procedure and much safer when compared to conventional open surgery. In addition, it has the advantage of being able to access and deal with in-depth injuries with one operation leaving smaller scars and lower operative pain, allowing for a faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay, as well as contributing to reducing hospital overload.

City International Hospital’s surgeon has achieved many firsts in national medical achievements and has helped many patients who were apparently in unsolvable situations. Cuong is widely respected as a heroic character to many of his colleagues. To his patients, he is a life-saver who brings brightness to all, no matter how dark a place they are in. He has earned the respect of his patients and colleagues and has created many beautiful friendships through his inspiring life. His happiness comes from seeing his patient’s smiles and people being able to live a happy and healthy life.

Aside from examinations and treating patients, Cuong has also published valuable medical books and lectures for the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, in which he has contributed a number of research projects which are valued at home and abroad.

With his vast knowledge in the field, Cuong has successfully played a pioneering role in a number of treatments for a range of ailments such as liver stones, gallstones, nerve chest pains, and abdominal trauma, to name just a few.

VIR