Ho Chi Minh City doctors save ride-hailing driver who was stabbed in heart, lung

The patient, D.C.T., 38, from Ho Chi Minh City, was admitted to the hospital on the evening of April 23 in critical condition with severe blood loss.

He had a 3cm sharp-edged wound on the left chest that was bleeding continuously. He was injured after being stabbed in the chest during a conflict.

Upon examination and ultrasound at the emergency department, doctors detected hemopericardium and left-sided hemothorax.

The patient’s blood pressure steadily dropped and his consciousness rapidly deteriorated.

He was immediately transferred to the anesthesia and intensive care department for emergency surgery, while administrative procedures were completed afterward.

An emergency thoracic surgery was performed, during which doctors simultaneously operated and provided intensive resuscitation, including blood transfusions to maintain his blood pressure.

Approximately 800 millimeters of blood was found in the pericardial sac causing cardiac tamponade, along with about 1.8 liters of clotted and liquid blood in the left pleural cavity.

After clearing the thoracic cavity, the surgical team identified multiple severe injuries, including a 6–7 cm perforation of the right ventricle, a left pericardial tear, and a 6cm injury to the lower lobe of the left lung.

The treatment process was complicated by the patient’s medical history of severe burns covering 60 percent of his body six years earlier, leaving scar contractures on the chest, neck, and mouth, which made anesthesia and intubation difficult. Burn-related deformities of the skin and chest wall further complicated the surgery.

Dr. Truong Nguyen Hoai Linh from Thong Nhat Hospital said the 6–7 cm perforation of the right ventricle was located between two major coronary arteries.

This was a highly dangerous position requiring extremely precise suturing. Over-tightening could block the coronary arteries and cause myocardial infarction, while insufficient closure could lead to postoperative bleeding.

He noted this was one of the most difficult cases he had ever treated.

Thanks to close coordination among multiple departments, the cardiac injury was successfully repaired, bleeding was controlled, and heart function was preserved.

After intensive treatment, the patient’s condition has stabilized and he is expected to be discharged in the coming days.