Doctors of Cho Ray Hospital visit the patient (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’smost critically ill COVID-19 patient, a British pilot with Vietnam Airlinesnamed Stephen Cameron, is expected to be discharged from hospital andreturn to his homeland in the UK soon, doctors at Cho Ray Hospital have said.
“Henow can leave the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for rehabilitation and return tohis homeland as soon as necessary procedures that make it possiblefor him to leave are completed,” said Assoc Prof Pham Thi Ngoc Thao,deputy director of the HCM City-based hospital.
“Hislung capacity has reached 85 percent, and the lung infection iscompletely clear," Thao said at a meeting on June 22.
TheScotsman's heart, liver and kidney functions have fully recovered, shesaid, adding he can communicate well with medical workers and no longerneeds assistance from a ventilator to breathe.
The 43-year-old is taking part in a rehabilitation regimen toregain the strength and recovery of his hands. His muscle strength inhis feet is good. He can write, eat and use his mobile phone without assistance.
Cameron,the 91st COVID-19 patient in Vietnam, spent 65 days undergoingtreatment for COVID-19 at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCM Cityafter he tested positive for the coronavirus on March 18.
OnMay 22, he was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital for further treatment aftertesting negative for COVID-19, and at the time was expected toundergo a lung transplant as the disease had reduced his lung capacity to 10percent.
He was put on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machineand a ventilator, and given many kinds of drugs, Thao said.
“He at some point seemed close to death but was saved withappropriate medical interventions,” she added.
He regained consciousness on May 26 and his lung capacity improvedgradually, making it possible for him to survive without a lung transplantwhich had a high risk of death.
On June 3, he was disconnected to the ECMO machine, and on June 12the ventilator and now he remains fully conscious.
At an online medicine consultation held on June 22 with the participationof experts who have been involved in the treatment for more thanthree months, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son said the patient willneed to undergo at least another two to three weeks of physical therapy to beable to board a plane safely for home.
He said the patient can only leave for home if he could still receive continuedcare during the flight home and when the Vietnamese side can contact andcommunicate with an appropriate medical facility in Scotland that canreceive the patient and provide him with the best care.
Vietnamesetraditional medicine was also involved in the care of the patient, expertsrevealed at the teleconference./.
“Henow can leave the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for rehabilitation and return tohis homeland as soon as necessary procedures that make it possiblefor him to leave are completed,” said Assoc Prof Pham Thi Ngoc Thao,deputy director of the HCM City-based hospital.
“Hislung capacity has reached 85 percent, and the lung infection iscompletely clear," Thao said at a meeting on June 22.
TheScotsman's heart, liver and kidney functions have fully recovered, shesaid, adding he can communicate well with medical workers and no longerneeds assistance from a ventilator to breathe.
The 43-year-old is taking part in a rehabilitation regimen toregain the strength and recovery of his hands. His muscle strength inhis feet is good. He can write, eat and use his mobile phone without assistance.
Cameron,the 91st COVID-19 patient in Vietnam, spent 65 days undergoingtreatment for COVID-19 at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCM Cityafter he tested positive for the coronavirus on March 18.
OnMay 22, he was transferred to Cho Ray Hospital for further treatment aftertesting negative for COVID-19, and at the time was expected toundergo a lung transplant as the disease had reduced his lung capacity to 10percent.
He was put on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machineand a ventilator, and given many kinds of drugs, Thao said.
“He at some point seemed close to death but was saved withappropriate medical interventions,” she added.
He regained consciousness on May 26 and his lung capacity improvedgradually, making it possible for him to survive without a lung transplantwhich had a high risk of death.
On June 3, he was disconnected to the ECMO machine, and on June 12the ventilator and now he remains fully conscious.
At an online medicine consultation held on June 22 with the participationof experts who have been involved in the treatment for more thanthree months, Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Truong Son said the patient willneed to undergo at least another two to three weeks of physical therapy to beable to board a plane safely for home.
He said the patient can only leave for home if he could still receive continuedcare during the flight home and when the Vietnamese side can contact andcommunicate with an appropriate medical facility in Scotland that canreceive the patient and provide him with the best care.
Vietnamesetraditional medicine was also involved in the care of the patient, expertsrevealed at the teleconference./.
VNA
