Lung transplantation is a highly specialised procedure requiring close and near-absolute precision in coordination among multiple disciplines, including surgery, anaesthesia, intensive care, respiratory medicine, nutrition and infection control.

In the era of advanced medicine, the successful performance of lung transplantation, one of the most complex procedures in organ transplantation, reflects not only a major medical breakthrough but also the convergence of expertise, medical ethics and modern technology by Vietnamese doctors. The achievement contributes to the implementation of the Politburo’s resolutions, supporting the country’s steady progress into a new era.

Continuing this milestone, on the night of the sixth day and early morning of the seventh day of the Lunar New Year of the Horse, the National Lung Hospital successfully carried out its first lung transplant of the year. The patient is now in stable condition and recovering well, further affirming Việt Nam’s mastery of high-tech and specialised procedures in lung transplantation and marking a significant advance for the nation’s respiratory medicine.

At the start of 2026, the National Lung Hospital successfully performed a lung transplant on the night of the sixth day and early morning of the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, 2026. VNA/VNS Photos Minh Quyết

The donor lungs are immediately transferred to the operating theatre for transplantation.

The medical team examines, flushes and transplants the donor lungs for the patient.

The medical team examines, flushes and transplants the donor lungs for the patient.

A lung tissue sample is taken for culture testing.

An ambulance transports the donor lungs to the hospital at midnight on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.

The medical team installs ECMO, an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation system that temporarily supports heart and lung function by circulating blood outside the body, oxygenating it and removing carbon dioxide before returning it to the patient.

Meritorious Doctor Dr Đinh Văn Lượng, Party Secretary and Director of the National Lung Hospital, directly participates in the lung transplant procedure.

Meritorious Doctor Dr Đinh Văn Lượng, Party Secretary and Director of the National Lung Hospital, directly participates in the lung transplant procedure.

Throughout the first night of the Lunar New Year, doctors and nurses worked through to the early hours of the morning to complete the remaining stages of the procedure.

Throughout the first night of the Lunar New Year, doctors and nurses continued working through to the early hours of the morning.

Throughout the first night of the Lunar New Year, doctors and nurses continued working through to the early hours of the morning.

The transplant was carried out in accordance with the highest professional standards of UCSF Medical Center in the United States, with close coordination among teams from the National Lung Hospital, E Hospital, the National Organ Transplant Coordination Centre, the 108 Military Central Hospital and Bạch Mai Hospital.

The transplant was carried out in accordance with the highest professional standards of UCSF Medical Center in the United States, with close coordination among teams from the National Lung Hospital, E Hospital, the National Organ Transplant Coordination Centre, the 108 Military Central Hospital and Bạch Mai Hospital.

The hospital’s 13th successful lung transplant underscores its mastery of advanced techniques, strong inter-hospital coordination and readiness to operate a regional lung transplant centre in the near future.

Throughout the first night of the Lunar New Year, doctors and nurses worked through to the early hours of the morning to complete the remaining stages of the procedure.

The patient is recovering well and is receiving comprehensive monitoring, care and rehabilitation under the hospital’s specialised treatment protocol.