Milestones in Vietnam's Fetal Medicine

Intervention at the special operating room of Tu Du Hospital.

Journey to keep the fetus alive

On May 28, doctors from Tu Du and Nhi Dong 1 hospitals ( Ho Chi Minh City) coordinated to successfully perform fetal heart intervention for a Singaporean woman who was 22 weeks pregnant.

This is one of the most complex cases ever performed in Vietnam, marking an important step forward for Ho Chi Minh City's medical sector in the field of specialized fetal medicine.

Previously, at KK Women's and Children's Hospital (Singapore), doctors discovered that the fetus had a complex congenital heart defect and referred it to Ho Chi Minh City, where doctors have recently successfully performed this technique.

At Children's Hospital 1, the test results showed that the fetus's condition was completely consistent with the diagnosis from Singapore. The team of fetal intervention and pediatric cardiology specialists from the two hospitals conducted an online consultation with leading experts from Australia and France. All agreed that early intervention was needed to save the fetus' life.

The fetus was only 22 weeks old when the intervention was performed, weighing only about 600 grams, an extremely small size that would make performing the procedure challenging.

This is the ninth fetal heart intervention in Ho Chi Minh City, but is considered by experts to be the most difficult to date due to the extremely premature gestational age and particularly serious congenital heart damage.

The first intervention on May 22 was unsuccessful, but the team was not discouraged. A follow-up treatment plan was urgently but carefully developed, with the harmonious coordination of many specialties: Obstetrics and gynecology, pediatric cardiology, neonatal anesthesia and resuscitation, diagnostic imaging..., all united in a common goal of saving the life of the little creature in the mother's womb.

With great determination and careful preparation, the second intervention on May 28th was successful and smooth, bringing deep emotion not only to the mother's family but also to the team of doctors and nurses participating in the surgery.

In particular, when the image of blood circulating back through the aortic valve, recorded through fetal echocardiography, made the whole team burst into emotion.

The mother’s family burst into tears, because the little creature had been given life by the hearts and minds of Vietnamese doctors. It was not only a memorable professional moment, but also a symbol of profound human values: Where life is held back from the hands of death, where the specialized technical capacity, dedication and medical ethics of the Ho Chi Minh City medical team shine, walking hand in hand with the world ’s advanced medicine.

Affirming the position of Vietnamese medicine

The fact that a prestigious hospital in Singapore proactively referred patients to Ho Chi Minh City for treatment is vivid proof of its trust in the expertise and skills of Vietnamese doctors.

Not only is this a personal choice, it is also a clear demonstration of regional recognition of the high technical capacity of Vietnamese fetal medicine - a field that requires in-depth knowledge, close coordination between specialties and the ability to handle complex medical situations.

The success of this intervention is not only of professional significance but also an important milestone, marking a new step forward in the journey of developing fetal medicine in Ho Chi Minh City. At the same time, it also demonstrates the vision and determination of the city's health sector in making Ho Chi Minh City a leading specialized medical center in Southeast Asia.

To achieve such results, it is impossible not to mention the systematic and well-oriented investment of the city's health sector as well as the spirit of close cooperation between the specialties of the two end-line hospitals, Tu Du and Nhi Dong 1.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan sent a letter of commendation to the medical staff of the two hospitals, praising the breakthrough in professional technical development and highly appreciating the close guidance of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health. This achievement not only brings hope to thousands of pregnant women and their families, but also opens up a new direction in diagnosing and treating complex diseases right from the fetal period - an important step forward for the Vietnamese medical sector to deeply integrate with world medicine.

On the afternoon of June 2, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc personally visited the two hospitals to congratulate and award certificates of merit for their outstanding and extraordinary achievements in performing this special fetal heart intervention.

The Chairman of the City People's Committee assessed that the success of this intervention was the result of thorough investment, correct orientation and the spirit of cooperation between specialized departments; at the same time, he committed to continue to pay attention and invest to improve professional quality, making the city a leading medical center in Southeast Asia.

Article and photos: CHI MAI

Source: https://nhandan.vn/dau-moc-quan-trong-trong-linh-vuc-y-hoc-bao-thai-cua-viet-nam-post885425.html