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Master's degree holder and Doctor Trinh Tien Hung (second from the left) performs the coronary stent placement procedure. |
From these concerns
In 2010, after graduating as a general practitioner from Thai Nguyen University of Medicine and Pharmacy, he chose his hometown as his place of work. Dr. Hung said that after graduation, he was accepted to work in the obstetrics department of Ha Giang General Hospital. After working there for a while, he requested the hospital's Board of Directors to transfer him to the internal medicine department, and that's where he began his specialization in cardiology. During his time at the hospital, he and his colleagues encountered patients with many different diseases. However, a large number of patients were admitted to the hospital with cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, myocardial infarction, and coronary artery blockage; some patients passed away in the doctors' arms, and the doctors were powerless to help them.
Troubled by this reality, he proposed to the Board of Directors that he be allowed to pursue a cardiology specialization course at Bach Mai Hospital, and then continued his journey to earn a master's degree in cardiology at Hanoi Medical University in 2013 (at that time, he was the only student from the northern border region to pass the master's exam in cardiology). His years of study in the capital helped him build a solid foundation of knowledge and establish strong connections with leading cardiology experts at the central level.
After graduating and returning to work at the hospital, armed with knowledge and skills, Dr. Hung began building the first cardiovascular emergency room at the hospital. Once the emergency room was operational, he implemented routine echocardiography and vascular ultrasound and specialized management of complex internal medicine conditions. 2017 marked a historic milestone when he successfully implanted a temporary pacemaker at the bedside – the first step in interventional cardiology in his home province (formerly Ha Giang province).
With the support from the Board of Directors and the collaboration of experts from E Hospital and Hanoi Heart Hospital, his efforts have yielded fruitful results. In 2021, the Cardiology Department was officially established, ushering in an era of specialized and independent development, bringing healthcare in the highlands closer to the level of central-level hospitals. Equipped with knowledge and skills, Dr. Hung has helped many local patients with early detection, guidance, and timely advice to avoid dangerous cardiovascular complications such as myocardial infarction.
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Master of Science, Doctor Trinh Tien Hung Head of the Cardiology Department, Ha Giang General Hospital. |
Decisive and courageous
For Dr. Trinh Tien Hung, each case he handles is not only a responsibility but also a stepping stone marking his growth in character and a vivid testament to his belief in saving lives. In his memory, there are moments of life and death that have become unforgettable milestones.
Dr. Hung shared: In 2022, a midnight phone call pulled him from home in an emergency situation. The patient was admitted with severe chest pain, in cardiogenic shock, with dangerously low blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. On the rush to the hospital, he was driving while simultaneously directing the team to urgently prepare the imaging room.
After a quick consultation, the DSA scan revealed an acute blockage in a branch of the left coronary artery. Facing the precarious balance of life and death, he decisively declared, "If we don't proceed with this case, transferring the patient to another hospital will result in immediate death." Despite the anxious glances of the hospital management and the skepticism of his colleagues outside the intervention room—as this was his first case performed independently without support from a central hospital—he remained steadfast.
In the face of limited supplies, he and three nurses immediately performed stent placement to reopen the circumflex artery. The moment blood flow resumed, blood pressure stabilized, and the heart rate gradually returned to normal, Dr. Hung understood that he had not only saved a life but also rekindled faith in the local cardiovascular intervention capabilities, completely dispelling any previous doubts.
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Dr. Trinh Tien Hung, Head of the Cardiology Department at Ha Giang General Hospital, visited the patient to inquire about their health. |
Another particularly noteworthy case was that of Mr. R. Hoff, a 65-year-old Canadian tourist. Admitted to the hospital with acute myocardial infarction accompanied by cardiogenic shock and complex arrhythmias, his condition was so critical that international medical transport organizations refused to move him due to the excessive risks.
After consulting with and coordinating closely with the Intensive Care Unit, he and his team decided to intervene on-site. Throughout the procedure, the patient repeatedly experienced episodes of ventricular tachycardia and third-degree atrioventricular block. With decisive action and solid technique, the team successfully placed a stent in the right coronary artery and controlled the rhythm using a pacemaker. Twenty-four hours later, the patient was stable enough to be transferred to a higher-level facility as requested.
By the end of 2025, more than 2,000 interventions had been successfully performed at Ha Giang General Hospital. Complex techniques, from coronary stent placement and permanent pacemaker implantation to lower limb vascular interventions—once challenging—have now become routine procedures at the hospital. For Dr. Hung, satisfaction never stops at the numbers. To continue his journey of saving lives, he is currently pursuing a Specialist II program and also harbors plans to bring intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and other techniques for treating arrhythmias and congenital heart defects to the local area.
Amidst the clouds that shroud the heavenly gate, Doctor Trinh Tien Hung continues to silently dedicate himself day and night. For him, the journey of reviving hearts will never end, because every breath of a patient is the motivation for him to continue his commitment and sacrifice.
Minh Hoa
Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/y-te/202601/giu-nhip-tim-noi-bien-cuong-a3c07e2/
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