Fisherman with ruptured organ at sea, taken to mainland for emergency treatment by helicopter

(Dan Tri) - The aircraft of the 18th Army Corps and the Air Rescue Team of Military Hospital 175 brought a fisherman with a critical organ puncture from the open sea to the mainland in the midst of harsh weather.

While working on a fishing boat in the middle of the ocean, a male fisherman named T. (born in 1973, hometown Binh Son, Quang Ngai ) experienced pain in the epigastric region and self-administered painkillers.

On June 24, the patient suddenly had severe abdominal pain, nausea but could not vomit, and constipation. The patient was admitted to Tien Nu Island Infirmary (Truong Sa archipelago) with pain throughout the abdomen and was diagnosed with infection and poisoning syndrome.

Medical staff on the remote island consulted via Telemedicine with Military Hospital 175 ( Ministry of National Defense ).

Male fisherman with severe peritonitis at sea (Photo: BV).

The patient was then diagnosed with 18-hour peritonitis, suspected to be due to perforated gastric and duodenal ulcers, lipid metabolism disorders, cirrhosis, viral hepatitis B, heart valve regurgitation, pancreatic cysts, kidney cysts, and hemorrhoids.

Given the patient's critical condition, the medical team asked the Military Medical Department (Ministry of National Defense) for permission to transport the patient to Military Hospital 175 by air.

At 5:50 p.m. on June 25, EC225 helicopter with registration number VN-8620 of the 18th Army Corps, piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Minh Tien, Deputy Director of the 18th Army Corps Training Center, and the Air Rescue Team of Military Hospital 175 took off from Tan Son Nhat Airport to Truong Sa.

At 11pm the same day, the Air Rescue Team reached the patient at Tien Nu Island to assess his general condition. The patient was given broad-spectrum antibiotics, placed with a gastric tube, urinary tube, and rectal tube, and treated on the spot until he was stable, then transported to the plane.

The patient was transported by air to the mainland for emergency treatment (Photo: Hospital).

“For patients with suspected perforated hollow viscus infection, air transport carries the risk of increasing the risk of pneumoperitoneum and affecting the patient's breathing.

Therefore, we always closely monitor patients for signs of infection during transport, especially in the respiratory and abdominal organs. In addition, the appropriate use of antibiotics to avoid the progression of abdominal infections is also very important.

Good coordination with the Flight Crew of the 18th Corps and appropriate first aid helped reduce the bloating and successfully transport the patient to the emergency hospital, despite the long flight time and harsh weather conditions...", Captain, Doctor Nguyen Van Nghia, a member of the emergency team shared.

Doctors at Military Hospital 175 perform surgery on a patient (Photo: Hospital).

After the plane landed safely at the Orthopedic Institute building of Military Hospital 175, the patient was taken to the Emergency Department and quickly performed specific tests, had a consultation and surgery.

By 9:30 a.m. on June 26, the surgery was successful.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/ngu-dan-thung-tang-giua-bien-khoi-duoc-truc-thang-dua-ve-dat-lien-cap-cuu-20250626153841481.htm