On December 1, 1964, Vietnam’s first Burn Department (now Le Huu Trac National Burns Hospital under the Vietnam Military Medical University) was established from the Field Surgery Department of Military Hospital 103. Over 60 years of development, the National Institute of Burns Le Huu Trac has consistently excelled in its mission. Today, with modern facilities comparable to regional standards, the hospital leads in burn treatment, rehabilitation, plastic surgery, aesthetics, and wound healing.

Continuing its proud tradition, the hospital’s management has focused on defining clear functions and enhancing treatment quality through advanced techniques, continuous medical training, infrastructure upgrades, and state-of-the-art equipment. Annually, the hospital treats nearly 10,000 patients with burns, burn sequelae, and acute and chronic wounds, many with severe complications, including respiratory and gastrointestinal burns and large-scale disaster burns caused by fire and explosion… 

With new and advanced techniques such as compartment pressure measurement using invasive arterial pressure monitoring in burn patients, endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of respiratory burns, early excision of burn necrosis with early wound coverage using temporary skin substitutes (such as pig dermis and allogeneic skin produced by the hospital), continuous blood filtration to treat infections, acute burn toxicity, and multiple organ failure in severe burn patients; open-lung ventilation techniques, and high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFO) for treating ARDS in respiratory burns and severe burns with respiratory failure complications, the mortality rate has significantly decreased from 7-10% to 1.5-1.7%, and the average treatment duration has been reduced from 18-21 days to 14-16 days.

Leaders of Le Huu Trac National Burns Hospital guide students in using modern medical equipment. Photo by XUAN VIET

Additionally, by applying various advanced techniques such as modified lymphatic venous anastomosis, lymphatic grafting to treat lymphedema, pigment grafting for vitiligo, bone grafting to restore fingers lost due to high-voltage electrical burns, one-stage facial reconstruction after acid burns, perforator flap transfer, ultra-thin flap techniques, and microsurgery for complex facial and cervical scars and deformities, the hospital has performed reconstructive and aesthetic surgeries for burn sequelae, restoring normal appearances for thousands of patients. Moreover, the hospital has successfully researched and developed numerous products from cell technology, including cultured allogeneic fibroblast sheets, autologous keratinocyte sheets, and stem cell products derived from umbilical cord membranes and adipose tissue. These innovations are being tested and gradually applied in the treatment of burns and chronic wounds.

In addition to excelling in patient admission, emergency care, treatment, and training, the hospital places significant emphasis on scientific research. The results of these studies have been effectively applied in treatment and training, leading to shorter hospital stays, reduced mortality rates, and lower costs for patients. The hospital has completed over 300 scientific research projects and nearly 100 technical innovations and improvements, including 15 state-level independent projects, 6 national protocols, 25 projects under the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Health, and more than 200 projects at the Vietnam Military Medical University and hospital levels. These projects cover various fields, such as burn treatment, burn sequelae, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, wound healing, cell technology, skin substitute materials, and burn medication development.

As the teaching hospital of the Vietnam Military Medical University and the national training center for burn specialization, the hospital prioritizes the development and enhancement of its teaching staff in both quantity and quality. Particular emphasis is placed on improving foreign language proficiency, professional expertise, and teaching methods to enhance knowledge delivery to students. Over the years, the hospital has trained 51 undergraduate classes and dozens of postgraduate, specialized, and doctoral programs. Additionally, to improve the quality of medical examination, treatment, scientific research, and training, the hospital has established long-term, effective collaborations with Nippon University (Japan), Concord Hospital (Australia), the U.S. Navy, the National University of Singapore, and medical institutions in Russia, Germany, China, and South Korea. Currently, nine hospital staff members are members of the World Burn Society, the European Burn Association, and the Asia-Pacific Burn Society.

In the coming period, to reaffirm its position as the nation’s leading burn treatment facility, Le Huu Trac National Burns Hospital will vigorously leverage its resources, especially its knowledgeable and dedicated staff. The hospital will continue to uphold the noble qualities of the “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers,” consistently nurturing revolutionary ethics, maintaining medical ethics, and enhancing medical expertise to ensure absolute safety in emergency care and treatment. The hospital will focus on sustaining advanced techniques, developing new technologies, and enhancing the professional knowledge of its medical staff. Additionally, it will strengthen infrastructure, upgrade technical equipment for treatment and training, and promote scientific research, aiming to fulfill its political duties excellently and live up to its reputation and “brand.”.

Major General, Professor, Doctor, and Excellent Physician NGUYEN NHU LAM, Director of Le Huu Trac National Burns Hospital, Translated by Dang Nga, K84, VMMU