Miracle of saving the life of a 16-year-old patient in a serious traffic accident

Patient Le Khac Kien, 16 years old, from Dien Chau district was hospitalized after being involved in a traffic accident while driving an electric bicycle. The patient was admitted to the hospital with severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. After being examined and performed paraclinical tests by doctors at Vinh City General Hospital, the patient was diagnosed with: Peritonitis with ruptured hollow organ/grade III liver injury, closed chest trauma with lung parenchyma contusion, pneumomediastinum; multiple injuries due to traffic accident.

The patient was indicated for surgery immediately after the necessary paraclinical results were available because the doctors assessed the emergency, the risk of affecting the patient's life and severe sequelae if surgery was not performed early.

“With the smooth and timely coordination of the Departments as well as the accurate prognosis of the patient's progress, the surgery was performed by the surgical team of the General Surgery Department 01. With the diagnosis of complex rupture of the DII duodenum/ ruptured liver HPT V, VIII, the patient was treated with debridement of the crushed duodenum, inserting the small intestine loop into the wound in a Y-shape, stopping the bleeding and liver damage” - Doctor Nguyen Thanh Hung - General Surgery Department 01 - the main surgeon in the team said.

After 3 hours of “brain-weighing”, the surgery was successful. The patient was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit – Anti-Poison 01 and was closely monitored, because the patient was still in a coma due to the sedative effect, balloon compression through the endotracheal tube, drainage of the duodenum, Douglas, and under the liver with little unclotted red blood. The patient was actively treated with mechanical ventilation, antibiotics, continued transfusion of fresh plasma, intravenous nutrition, fluid and electrolyte infusion.

After 1 day of treatment, the patient's endotracheal tube was removed and he was switched to oxygen therapy. In the following days, the patient's health improved, hemodynamics and respiratory status were stable, drainage of the surgical wound was stable, the patient's abdomen was soft and he was transferred to the Department of General Surgery for further treatment. Fortunately, the patient's health gradually stabilized, and he was discharged from the hospital 8 days after surgery.

Witnessing her son's miraculous revival after a near-death accident, Ms. Le Nhung - Kien's parent emotionally shared: "My son's survival is like a miracle to my family! Because when he had an accident, he was admitted to the hospital with a very serious prognosis. Luckily, thanks to the team of doctors from the Department of Surgery and related departments of the hospital, they coordinated emergency care, timely treatment, and wholehearted dedication; helping him overcome the jaws of death spectacularly. They are the benefactors that my family is extremely grateful to."

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Hung added: In the case of patient Kien, pancreatic trauma is often a rare injury in abdominal trauma, accounting for only about 3 - 5% of abdominal injuries due to trauma and accompanied by other organ injuries. This is a very complicated type of injury, requiring the treatment facility to have adequate paraclinical equipment and a team of highly specialized doctors and nurses to be able to perform it. Fortunately, the patient was given timely emergency care and treatment, and after surgery, his health recovered well, leaving no sequelae."

From this case, doctors recommend that people should comply with traffic laws, in case of an accident, they need to have a specific examination at a medical facility with qualified equipment, and if surgery is indicated, early intervention is needed so that the patient has a better prognosis, avoiding missing the golden time to save lives and reduce future sequelae for the patient.

Vinh City General Hospital always strives to develop expertise in the direction of specialization, increasingly receiving and treating many difficult and complicated cases; helping many patients to be treated earlier, reducing the burden on the upper level. Possessing a system of synchronous and modern equipment, a team of dedicated, highly specialized, enthusiastic and dynamic doctors and nurses; the hospital is increasingly chosen by many people in the province and the region for treatment and health care.