Doctors at the HCM City Children’s Hospital 1 perform a kidney transplant on a pediatric patient. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — HCM City Children’s Hospital 1 has successfully carried out its first kidney transplant on a paediatric patient, marking a significant milestone in advanced medical treatment for children in southern Việt Nam.

The hospital announced on March 20 that the success of the procedure positions it among a growing number of medical centres capable of performing paediatric kidney transplants, offering new hope to children suffering from severe kidney diseases and end-stage renal failure.

The recipient was a 14-year-old boy from Đồng Nai Province, while the donor was his 39-year-old mother.

The patient had been diagnosed with end-stage chronic kidney disease of unknown cause in June 2025 after showing symptoms such as facial swelling and unexplained bruising.

He initially required emergency haemodialysis via a central venous catheter before undergoing surgery in October 2025 to insert a peritoneal dialysis catheter.

Since then, he had been maintained on regular peritoneal dialysis.

Following comprehensive screening and evaluation, doctors confirmed that both mother and son were medically eligible for the transplant.

The mother voluntarily donated one of her kidneys to save her child.

The transplant surgery was performed on March 5 by a multidisciplinary team from HCM City Children’s Hospital 1, with professional support from specialists at Chợ Rẫy Hospital, including Associate Professor Dr Thái Minh Sâm.

The procedure, including organ retrieval and transplantation, lasted more than six hours.

Both donor and recipient were closely monitored following surgery.

Eleven days after the transplant, the boy’s kidney function had stabilised, and he was discharged on March 16.

Dr Ngô Ngọc Quang Minh, director of HCM City Children’s Hospital 1, said the success opens up life-saving opportunities for paediatric patients with severe kidney conditions, enabling them to return to normal daily activities and schooling.

The hospital is currently providing dialysis treatment for 31 children with end-stage renal disease. Following this milestone, it plans to expand its kidney transplant programme and work towards performing transplants using organs from brain-dead donors.

With this achievement, the city now has nine medical institutions capable of performing organ transplants, including Chợ Rẫy Hospital, University Medical Centre HCM City, Nhân dân 115 Hospital, Gia Định People’s Hospital, Thống Nhất Hospital, Military Hospital 175, Xuyên Á General Hospital, Children’s Hospital 2, and Children’s Hospital 1. — VNS