Hue Central Hospital masters liver transplant technology, saves 2-year-old patient

The HCH surgical team performing the transplant. Photo: T. Hien

Patient V. suffered from congenital biliary atresia - a rare condition occurring in only 1/5.000 to 1/20.000 newborns, with higher prevalence in Asian countries. Although the child underwent a Kasai procedure at just 2 months old, the condition continued to deteriorate due to progressive biliary fibrosis, leading to cholestatic cirrhosis and severe liver failure. Liver transplantation is the only definitive treatment, and the only way to save the life of a very young patient like V.

On October 7th 2025, after receiving information about an organ donor at Cho Ray Hospital (Ho Chi Minh City), HCH immediately activated its emergency consultation protocol, mobilizing staff and equipment overnight. By the morning of October 8th, the organ retrieval team departed, coordinating with units in Ho Chi Minh City to split the donor liver and transport the graft to Hue by air.

Hospital leaders with V.’s family at the discharge ceremony

The liver transplant was performed overnight and completed at 3:00 a.m. on October 9th. Immediately after reperfusion, the transplanted liver functioned well, turning pink and producing bile - key indicators of a successful surgery. Throughout the post-operative period, the child recovered quickly, with significant improvement in liver function and no complications.

While previous liver transplants at HCH had the professional support from Associate Professor Dr. Le Van Thanh (108 Military Central Hospital), this time the entire procedure was carried out independently by the hospital’s own surgical team. This demonstrates remarkable progress and mastery of liver transplantation - one of the most complex procedures in organ transplantation. The success also reflects the seamless coordination among hospital departments under the close direction of the Board of Directors and the National Organ Transplant Coordination Center.

Hue Central Hospital is currently a special-class hospital under the Ministry of Health and one of Vietnam’s leading organ transplant centers, with more than 2.400 tissue and organ transplants performed. It is also the only hospital in the central region capable of performing heart, liver, and kidney transplants, contributing to elevating Vietnam’s organ transplant field on the international stage.