Brotherly Love: 29-Year-Old Donates Liver to Save Older Brother

In Ho Chi Minh City, a 29-year-old man has made a profound decision to donate a portion of his liver to save his older brother, who is suffering from advanced liver cancer and cirrhosis. This surgery marks the first living donor liver transplant performed at Thống Nhất Hospital, a testament to the deep bond between the siblings and the advancements in medical technology. The younger brother, who was working on a construction site in the distant province of Ha Tinh, received a call from his sister-in-law in his hometown of Tay Ninh, informing him of his brother's critical condition. Upon learning that a liver transplant was necessary, the younger brother immediately agreed to donate, quitting his job and traveling to Ho Chi Minh City. After nearly two months of extensive health checks and organ donation procedures, he underwent surgery to remove a part of his liver. "He is my brother, so as soon as I heard the news, I was ready to sacrifice. I didn't hesitate at all," the younger brother told VnExpress on September 8, while recovering from the surgery. According to the patient's wife, the family has three sons. However, the eldest son, aged 27, was medically ineligible to donate, and the youngest, a 3.5-year-old, was too young. In this desperate situation, the sister-in-law contacted the younger brother, who is the youngest among eight siblings. He readily agreed. The 50-year-old patient had been diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma on the background of severe liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh C) due to Hepatitis B and C, compounded by diabetes. He had been hospitalized multiple times for ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding caused by ruptured esophageal varices. About a month prior, a liver tumor measuring 33 x 50 mm was detected, partially invading the hepatic vein and with a thrombus in the left branch of the portal vein, necessitating a liver transplant. The brothers underwent numerous tests to assess liver function, blood vessels, bile ducts, and the volume of the remaining liver. Simultaneously, legal procedures were completed to prove their familial relationship and confirm the voluntary nature of the organ donation. As this was the first liver transplant at Thống Nhất Hospital, the family experienced considerable anxiety. However, the wife stated, "If he doesn't get a transplant, my husband will die. I believe if we are lucky and the heavens bless us, my husband will live, so I decided to proceed," expressing her trust in the hospital's years of preparation, the support from experts at the Central Military Hospital 108, and the policy to subsidize the cost of the first transplant. The surgery took place on August 22. Two operating rooms were set up simultaneously. One team harvested the right lobe of the liver from the younger brother, while the other team removed the diseased liver and prepared for the transplant on the elder brother. After eight hours, the transplant was completed successfully, with the grafted liver showing good revascularization. The younger brother has recovered and has been discharged. He mentioned that while he experienced pain in the initial days after surgery, his condition improved after the stitches and drainage tubes were removed, allowing him to resume normal activities and anticipating an early return to work. The liver recipient is conscious, his vital signs are stable, the transplanted liver is functioning well, and his biochemical indicators have improved. Doctors will continue to monitor for risks of rejection, infection, and other post-operative complications. On September 8, Associate Professor Dr. Le Dinh Thanh, Director of Thống Nhất Hospital, announced that this was the first living donor liver transplant performed at the hospital. Thống Nhất Hospital and the Central Military Hospital 108 signed a contract for liver transplant technology transfer in August 2024, enabling central-level experts to provide training, case consultations, and standardize procedures. Liver transplantation is a complex organ transplant technique that requires the coordination of many specialized fields, particularly in graft harvesting and the anastomosis of blood vessels and bile ducts. Thống Nhất Hospital had previously implemented kidney and heart transplants. Thống Nhất Hospital is a top-tier facility under the Ministry of Health, responsible for the healthcare of high-ranking officials. Concurrently, the hospital is expanding its services to the general public and aims to develop into a comprehensive, specialized geriatric hospital.