The transcatheter heart intervention technique that saved a fetus with severe congenital heart defects, performed by the team from Children’s Hospital 1 and Tu Du Hospital, has been recognized as one of the 12 medical achievements in Vietnam for 2023.
The award was presented by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Voice of the People Radio Station on the evening of February 26, in celebration of the 69th anniversary of Vietnam’s Physician Day. This marks the fourth consecutive year that Vietnam’s Medical Achievements has honored advanced and modern medical projects, highlighting the application of high-tech techniques by healthcare professionals in the care and treatment of patients.
During the award ceremony, Dr. Do Nguyen Tin, Head of the Interventional Cardiology Unit at Children’s Hospital 1, shared that the team had worked diligently and collaboratively over an extended period to achieve this success, as it is a complex technique.
According to Dr. Trinh Nhat Thu Huong, Head of the Prenatal Care Department at Tu Du Hospital, preparations for this new technique began more than a year ago with strong passion and determination. However, as they approached the first procedure, the team faced many concerns.
“We were worried because there was no legal framework to protect us, and we were uncertain about whether the procedure would succeed or fail since it was so new. What would happen if there were complications?”, Dr. Huong stated.
At one point, the fetus’s health deteriorated, but the mother’s trust in the team provided them with the motivation and determination to succeed. The moment Dr. Tin dilated the heart valve, the entire team erupted with joy. Following that were the stages of the mother successfully reaching the end of her pregnancy, the baby crying at birth, and subsequently leaving the hospital healthy, which filled the medical staff with happiness.
Doctors from Tu Du Hospital and Children’s Hospital 1 during the first fetal heart intervention. (Photo: Provided by the hospital).
This project was given special consideration for the Vietnam Medical Achievement Award 2023, as it was performed for the first time in Vietnam, taking place in January 2024. To date, the teams from both hospitals have successfully conducted the first two fetal heart interventions in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. The third procedure is expected to be carried out at the end of this month. This technique requires significant expertise from doctors and is currently only performed in a few places around the world.
This year, several other projects were also honored, including the 30-year journey to reduce the mortality rate of tetanus (Tropical Diseases Hospital), speech therapy for post-stroke communication recovery (An Binh Hospital), reproductive-preserving surgery for cervical cancer (Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital), vascular malformation intervention using alcohol injection (Gia Dinh People’s Hospital), a neurology center providing care from stroke to depression (Military Hospital 175), surgery for otosclerosis (Ho Chi Minh City Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital), and reducing the risk of intubation and treatment costs for extremely premature infants with the golden hour protocol (Tam Anh General Hospital)…
Representatives from 12 hospitals honored at the Vietnam Medical Achievement Awards 2023. (Photo: VOH).
Deputy Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc stated that these achievements have contributed to elevating the quality of specialized healthcare, building a modern and advanced healthcare system in Ho Chi Minh City, with the aim of becoming a health care center for the ASEAN region.
According to Mr. Duc, the award not only serves as encouragement for healthcare professionals who have made medical innovations but also expresses profound gratitude from society to the medical staff. Healthcare professionals are tirelessly working every day, in every moment, not just to save lives in critical situations but also to help individuals gain more healthy and positive days beyond their illnesses.
