More than 20 doctors at Can Tho Central General Hospital successfully performed the first kidney transplant in the Southwest region, after 4 years of preparation.
The transplant took place on April 25, the hospital announced it on May 9 after the patient’s health stabilized. The kidney transplant recipient is a 34-year-old male patient, teacher, from Ben Tre, with chronic kidney failure for 6 years, undergoing medical treatment. The kidney donor is the patient’s brother.
Two years ago, the patient came to Can Tho Central General Hospital with a diagnosis of end-stage chronic kidney failure. The doctor prescribed hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Earlier this year, he registered on the kidney transplant waiting list, after Can Tho hospital was recognized by the Ministry of Health as qualified to perform the technique of removing and transplanting kidneys from living donors and from brain-dead donors.
The first kidney transplant in the West was performed by doctors at Can Tho Central General Hospital with the support of colleagues from Cho Ray Hospital (HCMC). More than 20 doctors and nurses were divided into teams to remove, wash, and transplant the kidney and coordinate synchronously. After 5 hours of surgery, urine appeared after the patient’s ureter was connected, proving that the new kidney was working and the transplant was successful.
After two weeks of transplantation, the patient’s health is stable, kidney function has recovered to almost normal, and is expected to be discharged from the hospital on May 9. The donor’s health also recovered well. The cost of performing the transplant is about 270 million VND, sponsored by sponsors.
Ms. Phan Thi Minh Thu, the patient’s mother, expressed: “My family is very grateful to the medical team for their dedication to my child.”
Doctors performed the first kidney transplant at Can Tho Central General Hospital. Image: Thanh Phong
Doctor Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Head of the Department of Nephrology and Urology, said the transplant was successful thanks to very careful and thoughtful preparation and synchronous coordination of all stages. In particular, the stages from receiving donated organs to kidney transplantation and post-transplant follow-up care are very important.
“The success of the kidney transplant marks a particularly important milestone in professional development at the hospital and the Southwest region,” said Dr. Pham Thanh Phong, Deputy Director in charge of the hospital. Kidney transplant surgery is a special technique that is only performed in large medical centers across the country, requiring high expertise and technique.
Thus, Can Tho Central General Hospital is the 26th kidney transplant center in Vietnam.
Patient recovered after kidney transplant. Image: Thanh Phong
According to Dr. Phong, the hospital has trained 18 doctors, 21 nurses, and technicians from surgery to internal medicine, anesthesia, resuscitation, post-transplant care monitoring and treatment, for the field of transplant surgery. organs. According to the plan, the first 10 transplants will be performed with the support of doctors from Cho Ray Hospital, then the hospital will master the technique and proceed independently.
There are currently 3 more pairs of cases registered for kidney donation and transplant at Can Tho Central General Hospital. They will be consulted, screened, and evaluated for suitability to consider kidney transplant in the near future.
The hospital aims to perform one kidney transplant every month, and at the same time establish a kidney donation and transplant fund for people.