A 41-year-old man suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy, leading to severe heart, liver, and kidney failure, has become the first patient in Vietnam to undergo a successful simultaneous heart and liver transplant. The life-saving surgery was performed at the Viet Duc Friendship Hospital (Hanoi), using organs donated by a brain-dead patient.

The patient, Đ.V.H., had been living with dilated cardiomyopathy for years, with his heart function deteriorating steadily. By September 30, he was suffering from decompensated heart failure, acute liver failure, and severely compromised kidney function. "The patient’s survival was a matter of days, relying on extracorporeal life support for his heart and liver functions," said Dr. Duong Duc Hung, Director of Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, during a press briefing on October 9.

At the same time, the hospital received a critical notification from Nghe An General Hospital (Nghe An province) about a patient with severe traumatic brain injury who had been declared brain-dead. The patient’s family had expressed their wish to donate the organs.

A specialized team from Viet Duc Friendship Hospital immediately traveled to Nghe An to assess the condition of the brain-dead patient and their organs. By midday on October 1, the medical team confirmed that the organs could be used to save others.

A rapid meeting of the hospital’s medical council was held to assess the viability of the transplant, given the extremely critical condition of the patient. "Many experts were concerned that the patient was too ill for such a complex procedure, with some suggesting only a heart or liver transplant instead of both," Dr. Hung explained.

Despite the challenges, the medical team decided to proceed with the dual transplant, offering the patient a slim but real hope of survival.

While one team stayed in Nghe An to carry out two kidney transplants from the same donor, another team from Viet Duc transported the retrieved heart and liver back to Hanoi, covering a distance of 300 kilometers in just 3.5 hours.

The intricate 8-hour surgery, which involved replacing both the heart and liver, was completed successfully. The new heart began beating almost immediately, and within 36 hours, the patient’s liver and heart functions began to recover steadily. By October 9, the patient was able to speak, eat, and interact with others, with his heart and liver showing significant improvement.

This is the first time in Vietnam that doctors have successfully performed a simultaneous heart and liver transplant on a critically ill patient.

Vietnam’s journey with organ transplantation began in 1992, and today, the country has about 25 transplant centers. Viet Duc Friendship Hospital alone performs 300 transplants annually. As of early 2024, over 8,000 organ transplants have been conducted nationwide.

Despite advancements, the demand for organ donations in Vietnam remains critically high. An estimated 36 people die every day due to the lack of available organs.

One brain-dead donor has the potential to save up to eight lives and improve the quality of life for up to 100 others by donating tissues such as corneas, skin, and bones.

Vo Thu