Vietnam successfully transplants 3rd generation partial artificial heart

108 Military Central Hospital has just successfully performed the first 3rd generation partial artificial heart transplant (LVAD - Heart Mate3) in Vietnam. This is an important milestone, bringing Vietnamese medicine closer to the advanced medical systems in the world.

Prolonging life for patients with late-stage heart failure

In March 2025, female patient HTX (46 years old) was admitted to the 108 Military Central Hospital in a state of severe heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (EF only 19%) due to dilated cardiomyopathy. The patient also had dangerous complications such as old cerebral infarction and right subclavian artery occlusion.

The patient was diagnosed with end-stage heart failure and treated with the best medications for many years, but his health condition did not improve. Recently, the patient had acute shortness of breath and a large amount of pleural effusion and had to be hospitalized for emergency care.

The patient was consulted both domestically and internationally and was prescribed a third-generation left ventricular assist device (LVAD), the latest generation to replace the left side of the heart.

The patient was indicated for implantation of a third-generation left ventricular assist device (LVAD).

This device works as a mechanical pump, pumping blood from the heart to the aorta, with a special structure and operating mechanism that optimizes the blood flow pumped out, while minimizing the risk of thrombosis and hemolysis; the device has a wire connected to an external battery. The device has been proven to prolong the time and quality of life for patients with late-stage heart failure.

The surgery was performed by doctors at the 108 Military Central Hospital and under the guidance of Professor Jan D. Schmitto, President of the European Society of Mechanical Circulation, a world-leading expert, the first person in the world to successfully implant the LVAD-Heart Mate3 to treat end-stage heart failure in 2014. After 11 years, the patient is still living normally.

After 4 hours, the surgery was successful. And just 2 weeks after the transplant, the patient was able to walk and perform personal activities completely stably, and is being guided through professional care procedures for discharge.

Patients are re-examined after surgery.

Heart failure is the final stage of cardiovascular disease, with the highest mortality rate in the world, higher than cancer and stroke. About 50% of heart failure patients do not live more than 5 years after being diagnosed by a doctor. For patients with end-stage heart failure, this number is even higher, with an average life expectancy of about 6-12 months, and a mortality rate of over 75% after one year.

Opening up opportunities for thousands of patients with end-stage heart failure

According to Dr. Dang Viet Duc, Deputy Director of the Cardiovascular Institute, 108 Central Military Hospital, the third generation left ventricular assist device (LVAD- Heart Mate3) is one of the most advanced and highest-techniques in the field of cardiology, especially in the treatment of patients with severe heart failure.

With the ability to support and replace the pumping function of the left ventricle, the device will improve blood flow to organs in the body, helping patients maintain a normal life.

There have been many patients who have survived up to 15 years and are now on LVAD.

Previously, left ventricular assist devices were used as a bridging treatment to prolong the life of heart failure patients while waiting for a suitable heart transplant opportunity; the LVAD - Heart Mate3 device was first successfully implanted at 108 Military Central Hospital with outstanding features, proven by multi-center studies around the world with a 5-year survival rate of up to 76%.

There have been tens of thousands of successful cases of partial artificial heart transplantation in the world in general and the Heartmate 3 device in particular. Many patients have lived up to 15 years and now LVAD is not only a bridge for patients waiting for heart transplants but can also be a target treatment for patients with heart failure.

This is the only left ventricular assist device in the world today that is recognized by the Cardiovascular Association as a long-term alternative treatment solution when a heart transplant is not available. LVAD - Heart Mate3 is not only a support solution, but also an indispensable part of modern medical advances, contributing to saving lives and improving the quality of life for many patients with cardiovascular disease.

This success opens up opportunities for thousands of patients with end-stage heart failure. Because they have only one option, waiting for a heart transplant. Although the source of donated organs has improved, it is still extremely small compared to the number of people waiting for transplants.

This is the first successful transplant performed by young doctors of 108 Military Central Hospital under the guidance of international professors.

To implement this advanced technique, 108 Military Central Hospital has proactively oriented its strategy, choosing the world's leading center for this technique, Hannover Medical University Hospital (Germany), with a team of 4 doctors (2 cardiologists, 1 cardiologist and 1 anesthesiologist) fully funded by the Hospital during their study here, under the direct guidance of Professor Jan D. Schmitto - the world's leading professor in performing this technique and the person who performed the first case in the world.

The hospital has sent a cardiologist to St Vincent's Hospital Sydney in Australia (where the first BiVACOR total artificial heart transplant was successfully performed a few months ago) and a cardiologist to study for 2 years at the Military Cardiovascular Center, Germany).

Patients practice waiting to be discharged from hospital.

The successful implementation of this transplant marks an important turning point in the field of cardiovascular surgery in the country, affirming the hospital's solid professional capacity and investment strategy, and correct direction in the hospital's high-tech development strategy.

The Party Committee and Board of Directors of the 108 Central Military Hospital have decided to invest and pay more than 5 billion VND/person for the first patients to receive partial artificial heart transplants.

108 Central Military Hospital is the first hospital in Vietnam currently licensed to routinely perform left ventricular assist device placement in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Health and the Military Medical Department/Ministry of National Defense.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/lan-dau-tien-viet-nam-cay-ghep-thanh-cong-tim-nhan-tao-ban-phan-the-he-thu-3-post871867.html