On the afternoon of 15/10, Pham Van Tuan, 69 years old, was discharged from Military Hospital 175 following major liver transplant surgery from his nephew.
"I survived like a miracle; now I truly understand the value of life after three near-death experiences," Mr. Tuan shared upon leaving the hospital. Once an athlete with a resilient physique, his illness caused his health to deteriorate rapidly.
In early August, Mr. Tuan was admitted to the emergency room due to an acute liver failure flare-up, stemming from cirrhosis caused by chronic hepatitis B. His medical record was complex, also including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and severe stenosis of multiple coronary arteries. Two months prior, doctors had intervened by placing a metal stent in his coronary artery.
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Mr. Tuan before being discharged from Military Hospital 175. Photo: Hospital provided
During 45 days of intensive care, the former sports leader's liver function did not improve; it progressively worsened, his muscles atrophied, and his body became exhausted. The medical team performed 20 consecutive plasma exchanges, 14 rounds of adsorption hemodialysis, and 4 rounds of stem cell transfusions, but these interventions failed. Recognizing that medical treatment had reached its limit, doctors identified a liver transplant as the last hope for survival. Faced with his uncle's life-or-death situation, his 39-year-old nephew decided to donate a portion of his liver.
Master, Doctor Nguyen Van Manh, head of the surgical team, assessed the surgery carried a high risk of death on the operating table. The patient was severely liver-compromised, elderly, and had a history of serious heart disease. Prolonged blood loss and a drop in blood pressure during surgery could trigger an acute myocardial infarction at any time.
To preserve the patient's life, the multidisciplinary team prepared contingency plans for all cardiovascular collapse scenarios. On 20/9, the major surgery was completed after 7,5 hours, shortening the duration by 2,5 hours compared to typical liver transplants performed at the hospital. The patient's heart tolerated the entire surgery well, with no coronary complications, and the donated liver began functioning stably.
After surgery, Mr. Tuan lost significant weight, his limbs were weak, and he had difficulty walking. Doctors prescribed a nutritional regimen combined with muscle rehabilitation exercises, with an estimated two to three months needed for normal mobility recovery.
Pham Van Tuan previously served as Deputy Director General of the General Department of Sports and Physical Training and Vice Chairman of the VFF. According to Director Tran Quoc Viet of Military Hospital 175, this was the hospital's 19th liver transplant case. To date, the unit has successfully performed 21 living donor organ transplants, including 6 emergency cases due to acute liver failure.
Le Phuong
