Leading Vietnamese paediatrician Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thanh Liem hasimpressed surgeons worldwide with his huge advancements in endoscopicsurgery, applying techniques he invented himself. Report by Radio theVoice of Vietnam (VOV).
I n 1997, Professor Liem receivedinternational recognition for his successful research and application oflaparoscopic surgery technology to treat Hirschsprung's disease (HD)known as congenital aganglionic megacolon in Vietnam, the first of itskind in Southeast Asia.
His research has been applied at theCentral Paediatrics Hospital, promoting its status as one of the world’sleading laparoscopic surgery centres for children. The hospital hasalso become a regional training centre for laparoscopic surgeons.
Liem recalled how he had the idea of carrying out an endoscopicthoracic operation on infants infected with congenital diaphragmatichernia (CDH) in 2001, but failed due to limited equipment.
“Iintroduced my concept to a French professor who later returned to hiscountry and successfully performed such surgery on a 7-month-old infant.One year later, Vietnam was provided with modern medical equipment,enabling us to perform endoscopic thoracic surgery on infants as youngas seven months old.
“I wondered if Vietnam could conductsimilar surgeries on newborn babies. To do this, I carefully discussedchallenges with anesthesia experts to avoid risks,” he said.
The successful endoscopic thoracic surgery on a newborn baby in February2002 honoured Liem as the pioneer of this difficult technique.
He later completed five research papers on this field which wereprinted in world renowned publications. He was invited to give lecturesand presentations at international workshops in the US, Italy, France,Japan, the Republic of Korea, and many others, promoting his techniqueworldwide.
International paediatricians consider Liem aleading expert in endoscopic surgical treatment of bile duct cyst andcongenital diaphragmatic hernia following his successful surgery on morethan 800 cases.
Liem has been asked to compile a chapter onbile duct cyst in paediatric surgery textbooks published in the UK andthe US, which was previously done by British and Japanese professors.
Doctors remember Professor Liem for his dedication to scientific research and devotion to the care of his patients.
More than anyone else, he understands the pain child patientssuffer, saying he still remembers how his mother died in agony fromcancer when he was a student.
The experience inspired him tosit tertiary entrance exams into the Hanoi Medicine University insteadof the Hanoi University, nurturing the idea of treating his relativesand saving other lives.
Liem says in 2002 he successfullyseparated twins Nghia and Dan who were joined in duodenum, diaphragm,pleura, sternum, bile ducts, and intestines in a complex operation ofits kind in the world.
A year later, Liem and his foreigncolleagues separated twins Cuc and An who were joined in variousintestinal organs such as liver, digestive membranes, pericardialdiaphragm and sternum. An suffered congenital heart defects, while Cuchad blood tumours in her arm and chest.
The epic nine-hoursurgery was a success, and Liem was acknowledged as a leadingpaediatrician who had performed five conjoined twin surgeries, includingtwo of the most complex in the world.
Since Liem’s endoscopicsurgery techniques were introduced, the lives of approximately 5,000children have been saved annually.
The most important and necessary qualities for any doctor are the desire to learn, explore and research, he said.-VNA
I n 1997, Professor Liem receivedinternational recognition for his successful research and application oflaparoscopic surgery technology to treat Hirschsprung's disease (HD)known as congenital aganglionic megacolon in Vietnam, the first of itskind in Southeast Asia.
His research has been applied at theCentral Paediatrics Hospital, promoting its status as one of the world’sleading laparoscopic surgery centres for children. The hospital hasalso become a regional training centre for laparoscopic surgeons.
Liem recalled how he had the idea of carrying out an endoscopicthoracic operation on infants infected with congenital diaphragmatichernia (CDH) in 2001, but failed due to limited equipment.
“Iintroduced my concept to a French professor who later returned to hiscountry and successfully performed such surgery on a 7-month-old infant.One year later, Vietnam was provided with modern medical equipment,enabling us to perform endoscopic thoracic surgery on infants as youngas seven months old.
“I wondered if Vietnam could conductsimilar surgeries on newborn babies. To do this, I carefully discussedchallenges with anesthesia experts to avoid risks,” he said.
The successful endoscopic thoracic surgery on a newborn baby in February2002 honoured Liem as the pioneer of this difficult technique.
He later completed five research papers on this field which wereprinted in world renowned publications. He was invited to give lecturesand presentations at international workshops in the US, Italy, France,Japan, the Republic of Korea, and many others, promoting his techniqueworldwide.
International paediatricians consider Liem aleading expert in endoscopic surgical treatment of bile duct cyst andcongenital diaphragmatic hernia following his successful surgery on morethan 800 cases.
Liem has been asked to compile a chapter onbile duct cyst in paediatric surgery textbooks published in the UK andthe US, which was previously done by British and Japanese professors.
Doctors remember Professor Liem for his dedication to scientific research and devotion to the care of his patients.
More than anyone else, he understands the pain child patientssuffer, saying he still remembers how his mother died in agony fromcancer when he was a student.
The experience inspired him tosit tertiary entrance exams into the Hanoi Medicine University insteadof the Hanoi University, nurturing the idea of treating his relativesand saving other lives.
Liem says in 2002 he successfullyseparated twins Nghia and Dan who were joined in duodenum, diaphragm,pleura, sternum, bile ducts, and intestines in a complex operation ofits kind in the world.
A year later, Liem and his foreigncolleagues separated twins Cuc and An who were joined in variousintestinal organs such as liver, digestive membranes, pericardialdiaphragm and sternum. An suffered congenital heart defects, while Cuchad blood tumours in her arm and chest.
The epic nine-hoursurgery was a success, and Liem was acknowledged as a leadingpaediatrician who had performed five conjoined twin surgeries, includingtwo of the most complex in the world.
Since Liem’s endoscopicsurgery techniques were introduced, the lives of approximately 5,000children have been saved annually.
The most important and necessary qualities for any doctor are the desire to learn, explore and research, he said.-VNA
