Recently, the phrases "high-tech medical care , new techniques, modern techniques" have appeared more frequently in the media. New medical techniques are not only applied in one hospital but in many hospitals; treating not only domestic patients but also international ones. This demonstrates that Vietnamese healthcare is gradually closing the development gap with the international community. The prospect of Ho Chi Minh City becoming a specialized medical center in the ASEAN region is getting closer. And the dream of Vietnam becoming a medical tourism market is becoming increasingly realistic.
Medical teams from Tu Du Hospital and Children's Hospital 1 (Ho Chi Minh City) performed fetal intervention on a pregnant woman from Singapore in May 2025.
PHOTO: HOSPITAL
For the first time, Vietnam performs surgery to treat pain in cancer patients.
On June 14th, the University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City announced that it had performed its first surgery to treat pain in a cancer patient. This technique was also the first of its kind in Vietnam.
A 69-year-old female patient from District 7, Ho Chi Minh City, was diagnosed with stage 3 left breast cancer. She underwent a mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection, followed by radiotherapy 8 weeks prior to surgery. For approximately the past year, she has experienced pain radiating to her neck, shoulder, and left arm, with progressive weakness in her left arm. The pain occurs day and night, with severe episodes of about 7-8 per day. This has led to loss of appetite, insomnia, and the use of numerous painkillers, severely impacting her quality of life.
After receiving treatment at multiple locations, in May 2025, the patient came to the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City and received multidisciplinary treatment including nerve pain medication, rehabilitation, psychotherapy, nerve block, etc., but showed poor response to treatment. After a consultation based on a multidisciplinary approach, the patient was scheduled for DREZtomy surgery.
Previously, I spent 20 minutes struggling in the bathroom. Now it only takes 10 seconds. For the first time in 15 years, I can drink water comfortably without worry. I feel like I've been reborn. I never imagined that the place where I received such successful treatment was a public hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
BN DF, an American businessman
According to Dr. Le Viet Thang, Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City, neurosurgery, especially methods that destroy pain pathways such as DREZotomy (affecting the spinal cord at the exit point of the posterior root), is considered when cancer patients experience severe pain that cannot be controlled by medical treatments, even morphine, radiotherapy, or other interventions. This indication is usually given after a comprehensive assessment by a multidisciplinary team of experts: oncologists, palliative care physicians, pain physicians, and neurosurgeons. This aims to ensure that the pain relief benefits outweigh the potential risks of DREZotomy surgery.
Medical teams from Tu Du Hospital and Children's Hospital 1 are intervening in the pregnancy of a Singaporean woman, May 2025.
PHOTO: HOSPITAL
Following surgery, patient T. experienced a significant reduction in pain. The patient's sleep quality improved, mobility increased, and reliance on pain medication decreased. The patient's quality of life improved remarkably, with better participation in daily activities and social interaction. According to Dr. Thang, this represents a significant step forward in improving the quality of palliative care for cancer patients in Vietnam.
Dr. Thang further explained that the first surgery in Vietnam to block or sever the pain signal pathway in the posterior horn of the spinal cord presented many challenges. Firstly, accurately identifying the location of the lesion in the spinal cord was crucial to ensure effective pain relief without causing other functional impairments such as leg weakness. Secondly, as this was the first case, technical preparation (the surgeon had received training in DREZtomy techniques for over 20 cases), the availability of intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring equipment, and the training of the medical team were also significant challenges. Finally, ensuring patient safety throughout the surgical and post-operative process required close collaboration between specialties and the use of modern diagnostic imaging methods.
Traveling over 9,000 km from Africa to Vietnam for kidney stone treatment.
Mr. G. (49 years old, from Burundi, Africa) had been experiencing persistent lower back pain for several months. He visited a medical facility in Burundi for a check-up and discovered large kidney stones in both kidneys. However, he was concerned about the limited treatment options for large kidney stones in his country. Mr. G. works for a multinational company that includes Vietnamese nationals. He had heard about the development of Vietnam's healthcare system and its reasonable costs. Through various sources of information, he decided to choose Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. From Africa, Mr. G. took three connecting flights to reach Ho Chi Minh City, a journey of 9,000 km. He stayed in Vietnam for two weeks.
Professor Joel Gelman of UC Irvine, USA, is mentoring urethral reconstruction surgeons at Binh Dan Hospital.
PHOTO: HOSPITAL
"The imaging results showed that patient G. had a 20-25 mm stone in his left kidney, causing hydronephrosis. The right renal pelvis had a large stone of about 20 mm. The patient had many large stones in both kidneys, therefore two lithotripsy sessions were necessary for a thorough and safe solution," said Dr. Tran Huy Phuoc, from the Urology - Nephrology - Andrology Center at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. In May 2025, the patient underwent his first lithotripsy procedure. The doctor performed retrograde nephrectomy using a flexible endoscope to remove the stone in the right kidney. After locating the stone, the doctor fragmented it into tiny pieces using laser energy, which were then expelled from the body through urination. The patient was discharged after 24 hours. The doctor scheduled a follow-up appointment in Vietnam after one month to completely resolve the stone in the remaining kidney.
After the surgery, patient G. shared: "I chose Vietnam because I trust your healthcare system and doctors. I've seen and read a lot of news about Vietnamese doctors who have examined and treated people in Africa – you are very friendly and kind, and the cost of treatment in Vietnam is not as high as in some other countries. Furthermore, what impressed me was the team of doctors and medical staff, who are very skilled, experienced, and can communicate in English with patients, so there is no longer a language barrier." During his stay in Vietnam, Mr. G. visited Ho Chi Minh City, including the Reunification Hall, the Cu Chi Tunnels, and the Mekong Delta provinces, as well as Phu Quoc ( Kien Giang ).
These surgeries bear international recognition.
Also in May 2025, fetal intervention specialists from Tu Du Hospital, in collaboration with pediatric cardiovascular intervention specialists from Children's Hospital 1, successfully intervened in a complex congenital heart defect case in a 22-week-old fetus of a Singaporean woman. This was the most complex cardiac intervention case to date.
Following the procedure, the pregnant couple shared: "This experience will forever remain in our hearts. No words can express our gratitude to the amazing medical team in Vietnam. Thank you so much for everything you have done for us."
According to Professor-Doctor Tang Chi Thuong, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, this success is the result of a well-planned and properly directed investment process, and the result of close coordination between specialties: obstetrics and gynecology, pediatric cardiology, neonatal anesthesia and resuscitation, diagnostic imaging… belonging to the two leading hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City. The Minister of Health and leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee also congratulated and rewarded the cardiac catheterization team.
Doctors from the Neurosurgery Department, University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City, examine patients.
PHOTO: HOSPITAL
Meanwhile, in mid-May 2025, Binh Dan Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City) performed a complex urethral stricture reconstruction surgery on patient DF, an American businessman. According to his medical history, about 15 years prior, Mr. DF suffered an injury after an accident and since then has had severe urethral stricture, with his kidney and bladder function gradually declining. The patient had sought treatment at many leading medical facilities worldwide but without the desired results. Six failed surgeries and numerous painful urethral dilation procedures left the patient in despair, depressed, and without faith in the possibility of recovery.
In April 2025, he decided to go to Binh Dan Hospital for consultation and treatment. On May 17th, Dr. Do Le Hung, Head of the Urethral Plastic Surgery Department, and his team performed urethral plastic surgery on Mr. DF. Within two hours, despite many difficulties due to pre-existing injuries and a complex surgical history, the surgery was successfully completed.
After the surgery, patient DF shared emotionally: "Before, I spent 20 minutes struggling in the bathroom. Now it only takes 10 seconds. For the first time in 15 years, I can drink water comfortably without worry. I feel like I've been reborn. I never expected that the place where I received successful treatment would be a public hospital in Ho Chi Minh City."
Impressive numbers
From 2023 to 2025, Binh Dan Hospital performed nearly 1,100 surgeries for international patients from 26 countries and territories. Treatment areas that attracted foreign patients included: robotic surgery for prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, urethral reconstruction, infertility treatment, and male genital reconstruction.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Tran Vinh Hung, Director of Binh Dan Hospital, as part of Ho Chi Minh City's healthcare development strategy to become a high-tech center in the region, Binh Dan Hospital focuses on building a high-quality team, developing specialized techniques, promoting research and training, and international integration. In addition to professional expertise, the medical staff are also required to have excellent communication skills and proficiency in foreign languages to better meet the needs of international patients.
Binh Dan Hospital also regularly sends doctors to perform demonstration surgeries and transfer techniques in countries such as India, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Conversely, many doctors from the United States, Australia, and other countries in the region also come to study at the hospital, especially in the fields of endoscopic surgery and urethral reconstruction.
According to a report from Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, the number of foreign and overseas Vietnamese patients seeking medical treatment at the hospital has increased over the years. Specifically, there were approximately 3,400 visits in 2022, nearly 7,000 in 2023, and about 10,000 in 2024. The majority of patients come from the United States, Cambodia, China, Australia, South Korea, Canada, France, India, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Germany, and the Philippines. At the hospital's weight loss center alone, from September 2024 to the end of June 2025, out of over 5,000 patients seeking weight loss treatment, foreigners accounted for 10%.
In addition, the number of overseas Vietnamese and foreigners receiving dialysis at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City has quadrupled in just one year. Patients mainly come from the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, France, South Korea, etc. Many patients shared that they came to Vietnam for tourism and visited the hospital for dialysis before continuing their journey to other countries.
"These figures are objective evidence reflecting the prestige of hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as the Ho Chi Minh City healthcare sector, in the eyes of the international patient community," said Professor-Doctor Tang Chi Thuong.
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/y-te-viet-nam-vuon-tam-quoc-te-185250614220153077.htm
Comment (0)