Pregnant woman with traumatic brain injury and 70-day battle for life

The mother recovered well after 70 days of treatment at Duc Giang General Hospital - Photo: BVCC

On January 8, the Anesthesia and Resuscitation Department of Duc Giang General Hospital received patient LTNT (23 years old, Chuong My, Hanoi) in a coma after a traffic accident.

A 26-week pregnant woman presented with pneumonia, severe traumatic brain injury with subarachnoid hemorrhage and right frontal subdural hematoma.

According to Dr. Le Nguyen An - Head of the Department of Anesthesia and Resuscitation at Duc Giang General Hospital, the challenge in treating this patient is that it is very difficult to ensure the health of both mother and child.

"Doctors try to maintain the gestational age beyond 30 weeks to ensure that the baby can develop normally when born. Ensuring the mother's safety must also be balanced appropriately, minimizing the impact on the fetus," said Dr. An.

During the treatment process, doctors continuously coordinate with obstetricians and nutritionists to continuously evaluate and adjust for the patient to ensure the development of the baby in the womb.

In particular, caring for patients in a comatose state, breathing through a tracheostomy is very difficult, with many risks of infection, malnutrition, pressure ulcers, and fetal distress.

After 70 days of treatment, the mother's condition gradually stabilized. Vital signs improved, the patient breathed spontaneously through a tracheostomy, and the fetus developed normally.

On the evening of March 15, the pregnant woman showed signs of labor, 36 weeks pregnant (expected birth), breech position, and premature rupture of membranes. The medical team decided to perform a cesarean section.

The surgery was successful, a 2kg baby boy was born crying loudly, with rosy mucous membranes, bringing boundless happiness to the medical team and family.

Three days after the surgery, the mother was alert, eating and drinking on her own, and had her tracheostomy removed. Both mother and baby are expected to be discharged on March 21.

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