Vietnam has first-ever robot-assisted kidney removal surgery

ABO/NDO - Doctors at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City have carried out kidney removal from living donors using robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery.

Surgeons at Cho Ray Hospital carry out kidney removal from living donors using robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (Photo: Cho Ray Hospital)

Dr. Thai Minh Sam, head of the hospital’s Department of Urology, said it is the first time in Vietnam that a kidney removal keyhole surgery has been performed with the assistance of a robot.

The operation was carried out on May 16 on Duong Xuan T., born in 1965, who donated his kidney to his relative.

The second operation was carried out on June 20 on Nguyen Van T., born in 1968, who donated the kidney to his daughter.

There was no blood transfusion and no complication during the surgeries, Sam said at a press meeting on June 27.

The two donors were released from the hospital two days after surgery.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery significantly reduces blood loss, pain and recovery time, he said.

However, the cost of robot-assisted surgery is high, ranging from VND 90 million-VND120 million (US$3,900- US$5,200) a surgery as it is not covered by the national health insurance scheme.

Cho Ray Hospital has performed 68 robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries since it began using the surgical technique in October last year.

(Source: NDO)