Vietnam successfully performs world’s first limb transplant from live donor

Doctor Mai Hong Bang, Director of Military Central Hospital 108, checks the motor function of the patient after the transplant. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has successfully conducted the world’s first
limb transplant from a live donor, Central Military Hospital 108 announced on February
24.

Doctors at the Central Military Hospital 108 performed the operation, opening
up new opportunities for treating patients with damaged limbs, said doctor Mai Hong
Bang, Director of the hospital.

The surgery was conducted on January 21 this year.

The patient receiving the limb was Pham Van Vuong, 31, from Thanh Tri district
in Hanoi.

Vuong suffered an accident at work in 2016. His left hand and about one third
of his arm were irreparably damaged and doctors had to amputate it.

At the beginning of this year, the received
another serious case.

The victim also suffered a work accident that damaged his upper left arm, near
the armpit.

After three weeks of treatment, doctors were unable to save the patient’s arm
and decided to amputate it. However, the patient’s left hand was still intact
and could be transplanted.

The victim, who remains anonymous, and his family had agreed to donate the hand
to Vuong as a humane gesture.

Since Vuong’s hand is already undergoing multiple infections and necrosis, the
transplanted body part might also face infections, but the doctors said that
they have taken all considerations and decided to go ahead with the operation.

The surgery, which took eight hours, was conducted by professor Nguyen The
Hoang, deputy director of the hospital, and his colleagues.

Now, more than a month after the operation, Vuong is able to use his left hand
to hold things, such as a table tennis ball.

Vuong still needs to undergo more physical therapy sessions to improve his
range of movement.

Professor Hoang expects that after six months to a year of therapy, the patient
will have made a .

Vuong said that he fell into a deep state of depression when he lost his left
hand and only recovered thanks to the support of his family.

He extended his gratitude to the doctors and especially the donor who helped
him return to a normal life.

The hospital said that since 1998, about 89 s – a highly
sophisticated microvascular surgery technique – have been performed worldwide.
All were from , however.

In Southeast Asia, no limb transplants from live donors have been performed
before./.