Dr Nguyễn Thế Hoàng with colleagues at Rechts der Isar Hospital in Munich,Germany, after successfully defending his Doctor of Science dissertation. Photos suckhoedoisong.vn

By Nguyễn Hà

HÀ NỘI — At the beginning of 2025, Nguyễn Thế Hoàng, Deputy Director of the 108 Central Military Hospital, became the second person in Việt Nam to be officially recognised as an academician in the field of medicine by the World Academy of Sciences.

Hoàng, along with his colleagues at the hospital, has achieved remarkable medical breakthroughs, helping numerous patients who have tragically lost limbs regain their physical integrity and mobility.

For him, tackling complex medical cases is not just a passion, but also a profound responsibility and the aspiration of a dedicated physician who always strives to bring the best possible outcomes to his patients.

Born into a family with a long-standing tradition in medicine, Hoàng was encouraged by his father to pursue a medical career and decided to apply to the Military Medical Academy.

Reflecting on his choice of surgery as a speciality, Hoàng said that his fascination with the field began in his third year of university. During his clinical training at Military Hospital 103, he had the opportunity to observe patients firsthand and witness complex traumatic injuries, including severe bone loss and limb deformities that left patients disabled.

These conditions could only be effectively treated through surgical intervention. Moreover, surgery demands essential qualities in a doctor – comprehensive medical knowledge, sharp clinical reflexes, logical thinking, dexterous hands and, most importantly, a passionate and dedicated heart. It was this combination of challenge and impact that ignited his deep interest in surgery.

Aspiration for breakthroughs in treatment

The deeper Hoàng delved into the field of orthopaedic trauma surgery, the more he realised its extreme complexity and diagnostic challenges. Relying solely on experience and conventional methods was often insufficient.

According to Hoàng, in severe cases where treatment is particularly difficult and intricate, orthopaedic surgeons often default to the safest, most conventional approach, that of amputating the limb. However, he firmly believed that this was not the best possible solution.

His greatest ambition was to leverage his specialised knowledge and experience to restore not only the physical form, but also the full functional mobility and sensory abilities of his patients.

Driven by the desire to discover highly effective treatment methods with shorter recovery times, Hoàng emphasised the importance of personalised treatment approaches. He believed that tailoring medical interventions to the specific conditions of each patient was key to achieving optimal outcomes.

His journey toward innovation took a decisive turn when he was among the two scholars to study doctoral research in Germany in 1994.

Under the mentorship of Professor Dr E. Biemer, President of the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Hoàng became one of the very few foreign doctors in Germany granted the opportunity to conduct both laboratory research and direct clinical practice.

Working closely with German professors and colleagues on real patient cases provided him with invaluable hands-on experience in microsurgery and the application of free tissue transfer techniques.

It was during this time that he conceived a groundbreaking idea.

Developing a new treatment method for extensive and complex tissue defects – often the result of severe trauma – by creating a novel vascularisation technique for randomly perfused tissue flaps.

This research laid the foundation for pioneering advancements in reconstructive surgery.

From innovation to recognition

After successfully defending his doctoral dissertation in Germany in 1997 and later earning a Doctor of Science degree in 2008, Hoàng returned to Việt Nam to continue applying and refining his research.

One of his pioneering studies on microsurgical flaps using an isolated venous pedicle that had been arterialised – an approach he spearheaded – was successfully applied in clinical practice, offering new hope to many patients with complex injuries that had previously been considered untreatable.

Hoàng continued to push the boundaries of medical treatment, developing new clinical methods based on the concept of 'vascular regeneration and cell culture to create new autologous living tissues'. This groundbreaking research earned him the prestigious Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award, presented by the renowned Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany).

In 2013, he was personally honoured by German President Joachim Gauck for his contributions.

Among the many remarkable surgeries Hoàng has performed, some have not only astonished the Vietnamese medical community but also drawn international attention. A notable case was that of 28-year-old Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng, who suffered from severe leg deformities resembling twisted tree roots, with a 20 cm discrepancy in leg length.

In late 2018, Hoàng and his team at the 108 Central Military Hospital performed a groundbreaking surgery, straightening both legs and extending one by 21 cm. This transformative procedure enabled the patient to regain normal mobility and return to everyday life.

Dr Nguyễn Thế Hoàng takes a photo with the first limb transplant patient in Việt Nam.

One of Hoàng’s most cherished achievements is in limb transplantation. In July 2008, he was among five lead surgeons who successfully performed the world’s first simultaneous bilateral arm transplant at Rechts der Isar Hospital in Munich, Germany. The patient, who had lost both arms in a work accident five years prior, regained full mobility following the procedure.

However, it was not until early 2020 that Việt Nam saw its first successful limb transplant – a milestone that was also the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. This groundbreaking surgery was the world’s first successful transplant using an intact, non-replantable limb segment from a living donor.

The recipient was a patient who had lost a third of his forearm in an industrial accident four years earlier. After years of waiting, he finally received a fully functional forearm, fulfilling his dream of regaining normalcy.

Building on this success, Việt Nam achieved further breakthroughs. In September 2020, the first simultaneous bilateral forearm transplant in Southeast Asia was performed, followed by the first simultaneous bilateral arm transplant in February 2024.

Both recipients, young men aged 18 and 19, had lost their limbs in accidents three to four years prior. These transplants marked only the seventh successful bilateral arm transplant worldwide from a brain-dead donor.

Both patients have since regained dexterity in their transplanted limbs. To date, Hoàng and his team at the hospital have performed four successful limb transplants, achieving astonishing functional recovery outcomes.

Reflecting on his recent recognition as an academician of the World Academy of Sciences, Hoàng expressed deep pride and gratitude.

He considered himself fortunate to have studied in Germany under the mentorship of Professor Dr E. Biemer, an experience that profoundly shaped his scientific thinking and approach.

He emphasised the invaluable role of great mentors – those with both skill and heart. He also extended his gratitude to his patients, stating: "Without patients, there would be no great doctors and medical science would not advance".

Looking ahead, Hoàng hoped that future generations will not only build upon past achievements but surpass them, pioneering even greater breakthroughs in medicine that contribute to both Việt Nam and the world.

With a proud smile, he shared a personal note, his only daughter has chosen to follow in his footsteps, specialising in reconstructive microsurgery despite knowing the immense challenges and dedication required.

"Now, my family has four generations dedicated to medicine," he said, beaming with pride. — VNS