Vietnamese doctor revives Australian passenger who stopped breathing on flight

Pham Thi Van Thanh, who has worked at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for 23 years, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper that the incident unfolded rapidly.

About 30 minutes after the Vietnam Airlines flight took off from Hanoi for Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of October 20, an emergency announcement over the aircraft's public address system called for a doctor to help a passenger who had stopped breathing.

Thanh was wearing headphones when she immediately got up and ran barefoot to the rear of the cabin, where the Australian woman lay unconscious.

The passenger had stopped breathing and had no detectable pulse, while flight attendants were already performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Without hesitation, Thanh took over CPR. However, providing emergency care was challenging because of the narrow aisle between rows of seats and the passenger's relatively large build.

The doctor had to find a stable position and make use of the limited space to apply continuous chest compressions.

“I had to stand in an awkward position, with one leg between the patient's legs and the other placed close to her armpit to maintain balance and generate enough force for chest compressions,” Thanh recalled.

After about three to five minutes of CPR, the passenger's right arm began to move and she gradually started breathing spontaneously again.

However, she showed signs of nausea and then vomited, prompting Thanh to turn her onto her side and help clear the vomit to reduce the risk of it entering her airway.

After performing CPR and addressing the risk of aspiration, Thanh checked the passenger's blood pressure and recorded a reading of just 80/50 mmHg. The woman also complained of a headache and dizziness.

The passenger reported no chest pain. Therefore, Thanh considered a heart attack less likely and remained alert to the possibility of a stroke.

She prioritized treating possible low blood sugar by asking a flight attendant to prepare warm sugar water and instructing the passenger to take small sips to avoid choking.

After 15 to 20 minutes, the passenger's complexion and lips gradually returned to a healthy color. Her blood pressure rose to 100/60 mmHg, and she became more alert and able to communicate.

As the woman's condition continued to improve, the flight was able to proceed to its destination without making an emergency landing.

After the aircraft landed, Thanh advised the passenger to visit the nearest medical facility for an examination to determine the cause of the incident.

Thanh said her 23 years of experience at Cho Ray Hospital, including time working in the endoscopy department and regularly handling critically ill patients, had helped her remain composed during the medical emergency despite being aboard an aircraft.