Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Vietnam performs First independent Heart Transplant

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Vietnam performs First independent Heart Transplant

Vietnam performs first independent heart transplant surgery

The patient met with Health Minister Nguyen Quoc Trieu on June 24.

“The patient has fully recovered one week after surgery. He can walk, eat, sleep and the new heart has been completely integrated into his body,” detailed Dr. Hoang Manh An, Director of the Army Hospital 103, to Minister Trieu.

Dr. An went on to explain that this surgery is a result of a long period of preparation, including hundreds of experimental operations on pigs, experiences in other countries and preparing technical conditions.

More than 10 patients are now on the waiting list for heart transplants at the hospital, having been examined and tested already.

Minister Trieu congratulated the Army Hospital 103 surgeons. He asserted that Vietnam will build a viscera transplant coordinating centre.

Vietnamese doctors have mastered transplant techniques, so now the major obstacle for patients is the lack of donor hearts.

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.