Organ transplants have been conducted in Vietnam over the past two decades, but just a small number of liver transplant cases have been operated on to date.

Liver transplant patients face difficulties 

Vietnam’s first liver transplant was successfully implemented at the Military Medical Academy in 2004. So far 16 liver transplant cases have been conducted in total on children, while the Military Medical Academy, Viet Duc Hospital and Cho Ray Hospital have conducted eight liver transplant operations on adult. Meanwhile, the country has thousands of patients who need the surgery.

Doctor Nguyen Tan Cuong from Cho Ray Hospital said Vietnamese hospitals face difficulties in liver transplant techniques. Despite improved capacity after taking training courses abroad, local hospital equipment still fails to meet the increasing demand for the transplants. For instance, at a recent liver transplant for a 52-year old patient conducted at Cho Ray Hospital, South Korean doctors had to bring with them not only machines and equipment but also medical sewing thread.

According to Doctor Cuong, it is not simple for patients to find a suitable liver donor due to different blood types and liver sizes. Many people who are ready to donate their liver are infected with diseases such as hepatitis. Another way for patients to receive a liver donation is from brain-dead people. However, cultural values are a barrier for patients to persuade relatives to make the donation.

Many patients receive the liver donation from their relatives.

High costs are considered the biggest difficulty for liver transplant patients. A liver transplant case is Singapore costs some VND4 billion (USD190,476) compared to the average VND2 billion (USD95,238) globally. The figure is lower in Vietnam at VND1.5 billion (USD71,428), however, this is out of reach for the majority of local patients.

Doctor Cuong also added that three days after the liver transplant on the 52-year-old patient was conducted at Cho Ray Hospital, both the patient and her son who was also her donor have seen improvements.