Despite having no accompanying family and insufficient funds for treatment, he was saved by the medical team, given a chance at life that seemed to have vanished.
Emergency Surgery on the Brink of Death
Leaving his village for Hanoi to work and improve his livelihood, Mr. Trieu Xuan Tong (41), a Dao ethnic minority from Cao Bang, unfortunately suffered a severe traffic accident.
Upon being called for emergency and brought to Vinmec Smart City International General Hospital, Mr. Tong was in a critical condition with a rapid pulse, low blood pressure, pale skin, and pallid mucous membranes. Doctors diagnosed him with hemorrhagic shock due to a blunt abdominal trauma and ruptured organs. Without immediate emergency surgery, the patient could die.
“As soon as the injury was identified, even though the patient had no family members with him, driven by our conscience and medical responsibility, we decided to perform emergency surgery immediately,” shared Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Manh Hung, Head of General Surgery at Vinmec Smart City International General Hospital, who directly performed the surgery.
Within minutes, the emergency operating room was ready, and the Surgery – Anesthesia and Resuscitation team quickly took their positions. Upon opening the patient’s abdomen, it was flooded with blood; the team continuously suctioned over 3 liters of blood while urgently searching for the source of bleeding. Thanks to the doctors’ experience, the cause of the severe hemorrhage was quickly identified as a ruptured jejunum and mesenteric tear.
By excising the damaged bowel segment and re-establishing digestive continuity, the bleeding was controlled. Every effort was concentrated in each passing moment as the entire team raced against time to save the patient’s life.
“This was a surgery demanding urgency and decisive action. Every member of the operating room had to dedicate all their intellect, concentration, and experience. At one point, the patient’s blood pressure dropped to only 50/30 mmHg, and we had to simultaneously control the bleeding and directly transfuse blood into his circulatory system without a moment’s pause,” Dr. Hung stated.
The patient recovering after the critical emergency surgery (Photo: BVCC).
After more than 1 hour and 30 minutes of surgery, the operation was successful, and the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit for critical care. Throughout the following days, he received special care, including hemodynamic monitoring, respiratory control, management of coagulopathy, and electrolyte balance.
Thanks to the dedicated care from the Vinmec medical team, three days later, Mr. Tong was conscious, hemodynamically stable, had good recovery of digestive function, and was able to eat again. On the sixth day post-surgery, he was well enough to be transferred to a local facility for continued treatment.
Saving Lives First, Costs Later
Mr. Tong is a manual laborer from a disadvantaged background. After being saved, his treatment costs exceeded 100 million VND, while his family could only manage about 8 million VND.
Understanding the patient’s circumstances and unwilling to leave him alone with the financial burden, the medical team proactively sought support for him from charitable funds within the Vinmec Healthcare System.
Narrowly escaping death thanks to the dedication and compassion of the Vinmec doctors, before leaving the hospital, the Dao ethnic man, choked with emotion, clasped the doctor’s hand and said: “Thank you, Vinmec medical team, for saving my life and giving me another chance to return to my family.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Manh Hung – Head of General Surgery, Vinmec Smart City International General Hospital, whose name is associated with “brain-racking” surgeries (Photo: BVCC).
This case also reaffirmed the dedicated spirit of the Vinmec medical team – individuals who do not shy away from difficulties, pouring their heart, soul, and intellect into fighting for patients’ lives.
“We always believe that if a patient comes to Vinmec, no matter how difficult the situation, we must save their life by all means,” Dr. Hung shared after Mr. Tong’s surgery.
Complex emergency surgeries, like Mr. Tong’s case, also demonstrate Vinmec Smart City’s capability in handling emergency situations. The seamless coordination between specialized departments, modern laboratory – diagnostic imaging – operating room systems, and a team of well-trained doctors have made the hospital one of the leading Surgery and Emergency Resuscitation centers in the Western Hanoi area.
To consult and be examined by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Manh Hung, book an appointment through the Vinmec website here or download the MyVinmec app.
