Vietnamese babies undergo successful liver transplants

03:36 20/03/2020 - Common Sense Medicine

Two babies who underwent surgery for serious liver diseases have recovered, said the National Paediatrics Hospital on Wednesday.

Vietnamese babies undergo successful liver transplants

Doctors conduct a liver transplant for the baby. — Photo hanoimoi.com.vn

The female 20-month-old baby, weighing 9.5kg, from the northern province of Phú Thọ, received a liver transplant on February 24. The male nine-month-old baby, weighing 7.5kg, from the central province of Quảng Ngãi, received a liver transplant on February 26.

The two babies suffered from inborn serious biliary duct leading to cirrhosis, which could have serious consequences. The babies could have died due to internal bleeding.

Doctors from the hospital found that a liver transplant was the only way to save them although the surgeries were very risky.

Lê Thanh Hải, director of the hospital, said a liver transplant was a difficult procedure, and it was much more difficult with a small baby. Moreover, their condition was serious.

The female baby received a donated liver from her mother whereas the male baby received a liver from his father.

The surgery on the female infant took nine hours and the one for the male baby lasted 10 hours.

They are currently in special care at the hospital in a stable condition.

The hospital has conducted 18 liver transplants for babies since 2005. Most of them weigh are under 10kg. — VNS

20/03/2020