Overcoming the unbearable pain of losing his son to brain death, a father from the Nung ethnic group in Ho Chi Minh City made a profound decision - to donate his son's organs, giving five terminally ill patients a chance to live.

On March 12, Hue Central Hospital reported that patient N.V.C. (36 years old, from Quang Nam Province), who recently underwent a heart transplant, is now in stable condition and recovering well.

A father's selfless decision in the face of tragedy

On March 2, Hue Central Hospital received notification from the National Coordination Center for Organ Transplantation about a brain-dead donor in Ho Chi Minh City.

The donor, C.G.C. (34 years old, from the Nung ethnic group), had suffered a severe traffic accident. Despite extensive efforts by doctors at Gia Dinh People's Hospital, he showed no signs of recovery.

After counseling and careful consideration, C.G.C.'s family agreed to donate his heart, liver, and kidneys, saving the lives of five patients with end-stage organ failure.

Speaking with doctors, C.P.L. (C.G.C.'s father) expressed his sorrow but also his desire to bring hope to others.

"This is a devastating loss, but we decided to donate his organs in the hope that others could continue to live. It is a small comfort to our family," he said.

A race against time to transport the donor's heart

Upon receiving confirmation from the National Organ Transplant Center, Prof. Dr. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of Hue Central Hospital, immediately activated the hospital’s emergency transplant team.

Surgeons were dispatched to Gia Dinh People's Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City to retrieve the donor's organs in coordination with the National Transplant Center.

Thanks to seamless teamwork between the medical units involved, by 6:54 PM on March 3, the donor's heart was successfully transported to Hue Central Hospital and immediately prepared for transplantation into recipient N.V.C.

A high-risk transplant with a miraculous outcome

According to Hue Central Hospital, the transplant was extremely challenging due to the recipient’s severe heart condition. The patient had dilated cardiomyopathy, end-stage heart failure (EF 20%), TAPSE 15, PAPs 75mmHg, and severe pulmonary hypertension, all of which increased the risk of heart failure post-transplant. Doctors had to meticulously plan post-operative treatment strategies to ensure survival.

Further complicating the procedure, the donor’s heart had undergone prolonged resuscitation and was exposed to high doses of vasopressor drugs, affecting its function. Initial Troponin I-hs test results showed extremely high enzyme levels (over 1,000 times normal), raising concerns about heart viability.

However, after three brain death assessments and continuous monitoring, doctors noted significant improvements in the donor heart's function. Adjustments in medication and treatment protocols helped stabilize the heart, making the transplant possible.

Their calculated decision proved successful - ensuring that the donor’s selfless gift was not in vain.

Within three hours and 48 minutes of receiving the heart, surgeons at Hue Central Hospital successfully transplanted the organ, bringing it back to life inside the recipient's chest.

A remarkable recovery

After surgery, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit, where he was placed on a ventilator, ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), and medication to manage heart function and pulmonary pressure.

After just three days, his condition stabilized, allowing doctors to wean him off ECMO and the ventilator.

Within days, he was able to eat independently and perform light movements in his hospital bed. Follow-up blood tests and biochemical markers all returned to normal ranges, marking an exceptional recovery.

Quang Thanh