The “unforgettable” surgery of doctors at Bach Mai Hospital

According to information from Bach Mai Hospital, Ms. T. is 43 years old and makes noodles in Dien Bien city. One unlucky day, her long hair got caught in a machine while she was helping her husband drill a well.

The entire skin of her forehead and scalp, which bore her hair, was torn off her skull and crushed in the drill. Blood was gushing from the severed veins. Her family rushed her to Dien Bien General Hospital.

Minor surgery of doctors at Bach Mai hospital, picture 1 — Bach Mai doctors have successfully treated difficult cases many times (illustrative photo).

Due to excessive blood loss and pain, she fell into a state of shock. Doctors at Dien Bien General Hospital quickly treated her shock, stopped the bleeding, transfused blood, sedated her, and placed an endotracheal tube.

Predicting that the severed scalp could not be reattached at their hospital, doctors at Dien Bien General Hospital treated and preserved the severed piece and contacted everywhere, but some places reported that the glasses were damaged, while others refused because they found the severed piece too fragile.

But then a colleague suddenly remembered me, remembered Bach Mai. After a long journey of more than 500 kilometers, finally, at 11 pm, 12 hours after the accident, the patient arrived at Bach Mai.

At this time, all doctors in the Plastic Surgery Department were present, emergency doctors, anesthesiologists, hematologists, and diagnostic imaging doctors were notified in advance, ready to support the patient as soon as possible.

Looking at the pile of slimy, peeling scalp, split into two pieces, torn in many places, chopped into small pieces, the doctors were dismayed.

Plus, the graft was severed 12 hours ago, losing the golden time of 6 hours after the scalp was severed, so the graft's chance of survival was very low.

When we opened the bandage and saw the entire skull bare, without a bit of hair or periosteum, we felt even more pressured.

If it cannot be reconnected, how can the entire dry, bloodless skull be covered? It will be a long and tiring process for the patient to heal.

Moreover, after the wound heals, that girl will never have hair on her scalp. All those eyes looked at each other, without anyone saying anything, everyone knew “I have to try”.

Every minute that passed, every vein found, every anastomosis opened, made us more excited.

After 6 hours of continuous work, we can temporarily rest assured because the two main severed pieces have been supplied with blood, which means that 3/4 of the scalp with hair is retained.

The remaining 1/4 area is too crushed and at risk of necrosis, needs to be covered by another method and will be treated in phase 2 when the patient has escaped the critical stage.

Later, with the remaining 3/4 of the scalp area bearing hair, with extensive experience in the field of skin expansion, Professor Tran Thiet Son will easily turn it into a whole scalp bearing hair.

A story that will end very happily. Well, success sometimes has to be fought for little by little, with all the efforts of many people.

I would like to sincerely thank my teacher for his encouragement, my colleagues at Dien Bien Provincial General Hospital for promptly handling and properly preserving the severed scalp so that the patient could have more opportunities, my thanks to the emergency, hematology, and imaging teams for their quick and coordinated efforts, and especially my thanks to the surgical team (Dr. Thai Duy Quang, Dr. Ta Thi Hong Thuy, Dr. Nguyen Minh Nghia, Dr. Vu Hong Chien...) and the anesthesia team for their tireless efforts throughout the long night.

Do you remember after bandaging the surgical wound, an anesthesiologist joked, "The plastic surgery department doesn't invite anesthesia to breakfast?"

I owe you guys! Because at that time, the surgical team just wanted to lie down on the stretcher or any place they could sleep in the hospital and have a good night's sleep!

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