Foreign man watches his own knee surgery at Vietnam hospital after sports injury

The hospital announced on Tuesday that its doctors had performed knee surgery on F.O.C., an Icelandic national.

After researching treatment options and seeking recommendations from the expatriate community in Vietnam, he decided to undergo surgery at the hospital instead of returning to Europe for treatment.

About a month ago, the patient suffered a sports injury that caused severe pain, swelling and frequent locking of his knee.

Medical examinations revealed an anterior cruciate ligament tear and a medial meniscus tear.

The surgery was directly performed by doctor Nguyen Manh Khanh, the hospital's deputy director and chairman of the Vietnam Orthopaedic Association.

During the arthroscopic procedure, the patient was able to watch images of the inside of his knee on a screen while the surgeon explained the injuries and each step of the operation.

According to Khanh, the surgical team reconstructed the anterior cruciate ligament using the patient's own semitendinosus tendon and repaired the medial meniscus to preserve its function.

For the medial meniscus injury, rather than removing the torn portion, the team opted for a specialized meniscus repair technique.

This approach helps preserve the meniscus's shock-absorbing and load-distributing functions and protect the joint cartilage, particularly in young patients with high activity levels.

One day after surgery, the patient was already able to sit up and perform active movements of his knee, ankle and hip under the guidance of medical staff.

Khanh said the decision by a foreign patient to seek treatment at Viet Duc University Hospital reflected growing international interest in Vietnam's healthcare facilities.

He advised people who experience unusual pain, swelling or restricted movement after sports injuries to seek medical attention for timely examination, diagnosis and treatment.