Miracle of reviving a patient with cardiac arrest due to a penetrating chest wound
Recently, Vinh City General Hospital made a miracle when it saved the life of patient NVL (38 years old) who was admitted to the hospital in a state of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to a punctured lung causing severe blood loss; with a very low survival rate, this was truly a "breathtaking race with death".
As soon as the patient was admitted, the medical team at the Emergency Department activated the red alert throughout the hospital, mobilizing the emergency team and relevant departments/rooms to organize emergency treatment.
Without a moment's hesitation, the team rushed into the life-or-death battle: chest compressions, placing an IV line, and urgently mobilizing blood products. After 10 breathless minutes, the patient's heart started beating again!
The patient was taken straight to the operating room in a critical condition; initial assessment showed that the patient had a 7 cm long wound on the right 6th rib, causing a rupture of the 5th and 6th rib cartilage. The doctor performed an emergency thoracotomy and discovered that about 3 liters of blood clots and uncoagulated blood had filled the pleural cavity (not to mention the large amount of blood flowing out through the wound at the scene of the accident).
Before the surgeons was a challenging situation: a penetrating wound in the middle lobe of the right lung at the hilum, with a lot of blood flowing from the severed pulmonary artery and vein. With the quickness and precision of the surgical team, within just 3 minutes, the bleeding point was controlled, the doctor decided to cut the middle lobe of the right lung with the support of an automatic cutting and suturing device combined with blood transfusion and large quantities of blood products.
After a successful surgery, the patient faces a very high risk of death due to blood clotting disorders, multiple organ failure, early septic shock, etc. The patient is transferred and closely monitored at the Intensive Care - Anti-Poison Department with continuous difficult challenges.
At the Intensive Care - Anti-Poison Department, the patient was supplemented with 41 units of blood and blood products (about 11 liters) and used all the most modern machines and equipment to serve the monitoring, emergency and treatment process, including: hemodynamic exploration using the PICCO thermodilution method (measure D02 to assess oxygen supply status, measure blood volume, cardiac output, indicators to assess pulmonary edema, assess fluid response, peripheral vasodilation, ...); continuous blood ultrafiltration. Doctors implemented the adjustment of blood coagulation disorders and lung protection, contributing to stabilizing the patient's condition.
Doctor CKII Ngo Nam Hai - Head of the Department of Intensive Care - Anti-Poison shared: "This is a difficult case with complicated and critical developments from surgery to intensive care. The entire team has come up with timely treatment plans and closely monitored each patient's vital signs to save their lives. To save these cases, doctors need specialized training, a modern and synchronous equipment system, and most importantly, quick and timely coordination between specialties."
Seven days after the life-threatening surgery, the patient NV miraculously recovered. His endotracheal tube was removed, his liver and kidney functions recovered, and his vital signs gradually returned to normal. The family was extremely happy to see their loved one who was on the brink of death now triumph over death.
This is not only a miraculous case but also a testament to the outstanding medical skills and high sense of responsibility of the medical team at Vinh City General Hospital with the ability to handle complex medical situations. From the decisiveness and close coordination between the Emergency, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Anesthesia and Intensive Care departments in treatment to the strong investment in modern equipment, all have contributed to creating a miraculous story of recovery.