First successful two lung transplants in one day

Two patients, both 48 years old, suffering from end-stage lung disease and with only months to live, received organs donated by two strangers. Nearly 200 doctors and specialists performed two lung transplants on the same day, bringing life to the two patients. This is an unprecedented achievement in the history of organ transplants in Vietnam.

On the evening of November 11, the Central Lung Hospital held a press conference to inform about two lung transplants in one day.

Senior Doctor Dinh Van Luong, Director of the Central Lung Hospital, said that two lung transplants were performed on the same day, one of which received organs across Vietnam from Ba Ria Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City). In particular, contributing to the success of the two lung transplants was the help of the Can Tho City Police, who sent a traffic police team to guide the medical team from the Lung Hospital, who were attending a conference in Can Tho, onto a flight to Hanoi to perform two surgeries; as well as the traffic police team of the Ho Chi Minh City Police, who guided the organs onto the earliest flight.

Senior Doctor Dinh Van Luong shares information with reporters.

Both transplant patients had a history of complex lung diseases (multiple bronchiectasis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, many dangerous underlying diseases), had been monitored and waited for lung transplants for a long time and were indicated for lung transplants. "Both patients are in the final stage, have no more medicine and treatment, and their lives are tied to oxygen ventilators. Without lung transplants, it would be very difficult to survive for 6 months," said the Director of the Central Lung Hospital.

The first case is a female patient (48 years old, in Hanoi) who received a lung organ from a male soldier (55 years old) who donated organs at the 108 Military Central Hospital. The surgery lasted more than 6 hours. Notably, the medical team of the Central Lung Hospital had to urgently fly from Can Tho to Hanoi, right during the VILA 2025 Scientific Conference, to perform the transplant in the "golden time".

Doctors are performing a lung transplant on a patient.

The second case is a male patient (48 years old, Hai Phong) who received an organ from a young man (32 years old) who donated it at Ba Ria General Hospital. The lung was transported to Ho Chi Minh City by Cho Ray Hospital and then airlifted to Hanoi.

The surgery lasted 9 hours, through the night until the early morning of November 10. This was the second “cross-Vietnam” lung transplant in Vietnam.

After surgery, both patients are receiving 24/7 post-operative care at the Lung Transplant Center, Central Lung Hospital. In particular, the first case has had its endotracheal tube removed and the patient is breathing well with his two new lungs. Although the second case is in a serious condition, the patient is progressing in a favorable direction.

Dr. Dinh Van Luong said that to successfully perform two lung transplants, the hospital mobilized nearly 200 doctors and nurses to participate. Performing two lung transplants simultaneously required the mobilization of all forces and extremely close coordination between the Central Lung Hospital and units nationwide, including: National Organ Transplant Coordination Center, Hospital E, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital - National University, 108 Central Military Hospital, Cho Ray Hospital, Ba Ria General Hospital, Vietnam Airlines...

Nearly 200 doctors and specialists performed two lung transplants in one day.

"All lung transplants performed by the Central Lung Hospital were successful at the highest level according to the standards of the UCSF Lung Transplant Center - University of California, San Francisco, the most prestigious Medical Center in the United States. The success of these two transplants has increased the total number of successful lung transplants of the hospital to 9, putting Vietnam on the list of major Lung Transplant Centers in the world," Dr. Dinh Van Luong shared.

This success contributes significantly to the technical achievements of organ transplantation in Vietnam. It opens the door of hope to save the lives of thousands of patients that only lung transplantation can save. It affirms the comprehensive capacity of the Central Lung Hospital, together with the hospital and leading experts of Vietnam, taking a big step forward in the mission of establishing a Regional Lung Transplant Center at the hospital.

The Director of the Central Lung Hospital said that there are currently thousands of people in need of lung transplants. If they do not receive a transplant, after 3 years, the survival rate is only 5%. Given the current high demand for lung transplants, it is necessary to quickly establish a regional lung transplant center of the Central Lung Hospital so that it can actively transplant dozens of cases a year.

Sharing more, Director Dinh Van Luong also said that each year the Central Lung Hospital has 1,200-1,300 patients with lung-related diseases. Previously, out of 10 severe cases, only a few could be cured, but now it has increased to 9 cases. This shows that there are more and more advanced drugs and techniques in treating respiratory diseases.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/y-te/lan-dau-tien-thuc-hien-thanh-cong-hai-ca-gep-phoi-trong-mot-ngay-i787744/