On 4/8, Doctor Nguyen Quang Hoa, Head of the Intensive Care Unit at the Central Lung Hospital, shared this rare story after more than 20 years in the profession. The patient, suffering from severe pulmonary fibrosis, had to travel by road for four days from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi to seek a chance at life. With his wife, he rented a small room near the hospital, patiently waiting on the organ transplant list for four months.
In late July, an opportunity arose when a 22-year-old student in Ho Chi Minh City, declared brain-dead, became an organ donor. The medical team performed an eight-hour lung transplant surgery, after which the patient was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit.
After 24 hours, the patient's vital signs stabilized, and doctors decided to remove the endotracheal tube. Though still weak and unable to speak, the patient immediately gestured for paper and a pen from the nurse upon seeing his wife enter the room. He carefully wrote two lines: "Are you well, my dear? Please don't cry, I can't bear it...". His wife burst into tears at the bedside upon receiving the unexpected message.
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The two-line note, carefully penned by the patient for his wife after returning from the brink of death. *Photo: Doctor provided* |
Doctor Hoa noted that most patients who have just overcome a critical condition typically inquire about their own survival. This natural instinct from the patient, directed towards his life partner rather than himself, deeply moved the medical staff.
"In the intensive care environment, patients endure immense physical and mental pressure from medical machinery and equipment," Mr. Hoa said. "Family companionship is a crucial emotional support that helps patients overcome this challenging period."
Currently, the man's health is stable, and he continues his post-operative care at the hospital.
Lung transplantation is a treatment method that replaces severely damaged lungs with healthy lung tissue from an organ donor. This technique requires extremely stringent screening conditions, excluding cases of severe infection, cancer, multi-organ failure, or blood clotting disorders.
International statistics record over 4,000 lung transplants worldwide, with the United States and Europe accounting for the majority. In Vietnam, the medical sector has successfully performed five lung transplants, with success rates ranging from 85% to 90%. Approximately 50% of lung transplant patients can live for more than five years, with the cost of the procedure domestically being around 2 billion VND, significantly lower than fees in other countries.
Thuy An
