18 doctors exposed to HIV after trying to save a patient's life

These doctors performed emergency surgery on a female patient who was critically ill with vaginal bleeding without knowing she had HIV. They did not wear protective gear and were exposed to the virus.

This special emergency case took place on July 4 at Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. The patient was on her way from Quang Ninh with her 11-year-old son to visit her hometown in My Duc district, Hanoi. As soon as she arrived at the bus station, she showed signs of vaginal bleeding and fainted, so she was taken to Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital for emergency treatment.

Doctor Luu Quoc Khai, Head of Department of Obstetrics A2, who directly performed the surgery, said that the patient was transferred with pale yellow skin, a weak pulse that was difficult to detect, unmeasurable low blood pressure, a erratic heartbeat that almost stopped, and was in critical condition. The hospital had to mobilize 18 doctors and nurses from various departments to the emergency room to fight for the patient's life.

The patient's health has now recovered. Photo: Ha An.

After receiving external cardiac compression and emergency resuscitation, the patient showed signs of life, her heart started beating again, but blood was still flowing from her vagina. Therefore, the doctors decided to perform a total hysterectomy in the emergency room, without being able to transfer her to the operating room. The patient's uterus was necrotic, so this was the only way to save her life. The patient had to receive a blood transfusion of 4 liters.

The entire team was performing surgery when the testing department announced that the patient was infected with HIV. “However, we continued to complete the surgery to save the patient. At that time, the patient's condition was very critical, and if emergency treatment was delayed by 1-2 minutes, it might not have saved him. Moreover, emergency treatment was very fast, and the test results were available after 10 minutes,” Dr. Khai recalled.

According to the patient, she contracted HIV from her husband who died in a traffic accident when her first son was only 6 months old. “We do not regret or blame anyone for being exposed to HIV because the patient was saved. That is the greatest joy and encouragement for those of us who work to save lives,” said Dr. Khai.

The 18 doctors and nurses who participated in the emergency and surgery for the patient, including 3 pregnant women, have been examined and treated according to the protocol for people at risk of HIV exposure. After 3-6 months, all will be tested to see if they are infected with HIV. "This possibility is very low," said Dr. Nguyen Duy Anh, Director of Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. All of these doctors and nurses are currently in stable health and working normally.

According to Dr. Anh, emergency care and treatment for HIV-infected patients is a normal job. Normally, medical staff know the patient's condition so they take precautions such as wearing special protective clothing and protective glasses. However, in this case, the patient was brought to the emergency room in a life-threatening condition, there was no time to do a blood test and emergency care was needed to save his life. The patient's family also did not inform them of the patient's health condition.

According to VnExpress