Department of Liver, Gallbladder and Pancreas Surgery
Overview
The liver, gallbladder and pancreas are important parts of the body's digestive system, responsible for absorbing nutrients and eliminating toxins. In elderly people, liver‑gallbladder‑pancreas problems often appear as part of the natural aging process. However, it is concerning that the prevalence of liver‑gallbladder‑pancreas health issues among young people is increasing. In particular, liver diseases in children have risen significantly.
The Department of Liver‑Gallbladder‑Pancreas Surgery at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City is a leading specialized unit in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery in Vietnam, comparable to major hospitals in Southeast Asia and Asia. The department has successfully performed many surgeries for liver, gallbladder and pancreatic cancers and liver transplantation. Beyond routine diagnosis and treatment, the physicians continuously explore and research methods to help patients detect diseases early and receive timely treatment. Moreover, every nurse and assistant in the department cares for patients as if they were family, providing care with heart.
Unit
Original Form Liver and Biliary Cancer and Liver Transplant
Strength
With a foundation of highly qualified medical staff, the Department of Surgery – Liver, Biliary, and Pancreas has successfully performed many advanced techniques in diagnosing and treating benign and malignant liver, biliary, and pancreatic diseases. It has successfully implemented and routinely performed liver transplantation from living and brain-dead donors for adults suffering from acute, chronic irreversible liver failure and liver cancer.
The organization has successfully performed liver transplantation for children, the only solution to save lives of pediatric patients with congenital biliary atresia, severe cirrhosis, and acute liver failure that were previously untreatable. From 2018 to present, the department has successfully carried out liver transplants for 24 adult cases and 12 pediatric cases. It has implemented specialized treatments for biliary stone disease such as Kehr's tunnel stone extraction and percutaneous transhepatic biliary stone removal, increasing stone clearance rates and reducing recurrence.
Diagnosing and surgically treating acute pancreatitis with necrotic complications, interventions guided by endoscopic ultrasound. Assessing liver function through ICG clearance, measuring liver volume based on CT or MRI imaging, and implementing strategies to increase residual liver volume before surgery such as portal vein embolization and ALPPS surgery to reduce postoperative liver failure risk, enhancing curative treatment possibilities for patients…
We regularly organize multidisciplinary case conferences and multimodal treatments for liver, biliary, and pancreatic cancers to provide optimal quality of life and curative outcomes. We perform many advanced minimally invasive techniques such as endoscopic resection of pancreatic tumors and endoscopic liver resection, offering patients numerous postoperative benefits. We have implemented enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols routinely for liver and pancreatic surgeries. At the same time, we have proposed many new techniques, some of which have been approved by the Ministry of Health as national innovations.
Training & Research
Regarding training, we organize many intensive training courses on liver, biliary, and pancreatic surgery for domestic hospitals and many centers worldwide. The strength lies in the training of surgical and minimally invasive surgery at the University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, especially courses for foreign trainees at the hospital or training at overseas institutions. We cooperate with several international surgical societies such as the Asian Society of Endoscopic Surgery, the Asia-Pacific Hernia Society… to organize training courses for both domestic and international participants. Successfully organized the Asia-Pacific Hernia Society conference in 2022 with many international medical delegations attending.
Regarding scientific research, the Department of Surgery – Liver, Biliary, and Pancreas is a leading research center in minimally invasive treatment of hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic surgical diseases. The department also carries out numerous scientific research projects at various levels, effectively applied in disease treatment, reported at many domestic and international conferences, and published in reputable journals worldwide.
Regarding training, we organize many intensive training courses on liver, biliary, and pancreatic surgery for domestic hospitals and many centers worldwide. The strength lies in the training of surgical and minimally invasive surgery at the University Medical and Pharmacy Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City, especially courses for foreign trainees at the hospital or training at overseas institutions.
We cooperate with several international surgical societies such as the Asian Society of Endoscopic Surgery, the Asia-Pacific Hernia Society… to organize training courses for both domestic and international participants. Successfully organized the Asia-Pacific Hernia Society conference in 2022 with many international medical delegations attending.
Regarding scientific research, the Department of Surgery – Liver, Biliary, and Pancreas is a leading research center in minimally invasive treatment of hepatic, biliary, and pancreatic surgical diseases. The department also conducts numerous scientific research projects at various levels, effectively applied in disease treatment, reported at many domestic and international conferences, and published in reputable journals worldwide.