Going to Vietnam to treat a "dangerous" disease that is easily mistaken for bloating

(Dan Tri) - A Cambodian woman silently endured a dull stomach ache because she thought it was due to an unsuitable diet. When the symptoms persisted, she decided to go to Vietnam for a check-up and was surprised to discover a dangerous tumor.

That was the case of Mrs. CY (58 years old, Cambodian nationality). According to her medical history, she had often had dull abdominal pain, but she thought it was due to an unsuitable diet, so she silently endured it for more than a month. It was not until the pain became more and more obvious that she decided to go to Vietnam for a check-up.

At South Saigon International General Hospital (HCMC), through the results of paraclinical examination, doctors discovered a patient with a 4x5cm tumor, suspected to be a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (also known as GIST - Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor).

Fortunately, the tumor was still in the early stages and had not invaded surrounding organs. Master, Doctor, CKII Nguyen Trung Duong, Deputy Head of General Surgery Department, Nam Sai Gon International General Hospital, planned early surgery, indicating gastric tumor removal surgery for the patient after a comprehensive assessment.

This is the optimal method to completely remove the tumor while still preserving the stomach structure.

Doctors perform surgery to remove a patient's tumor (Photo: Hospital).

During the surgery, the team used a “stapler” - a modern device that allows simultaneous cutting and suturing, helping to shorten surgery time and minimize damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

The tumor is removed with specialized equipment, then the cut area is reinforced with absorbable sutures, ensuring tightness and reducing the risk of postoperative leakage.

The entire surgery went smoothly in just 30 minutes. The tumor was completely removed, the incision was clean, there was little bleeding and the surrounding healthy tissue was retained as much as possible.

After surgery, Ms. Y. recovered well, was able to eat and sleep, and had almost no difficulty in daily activities. During the follow-up period, the patient's health indicators were stable. Ms. Y. was discharged after 3 days of treatment and scheduled for a follow-up visit.

Master, Doctor, CKII Nguyen Trung Duong, said that GIST is a rare type of digestive tumor but can progress silently over a long period of time. The symptoms of the disease are often unclear and can be easily confused with common digestive disorders such as dull abdominal pain, bloating, feeling full quickly, or prolonged fatigue.

Being subjective and hesitating to go to the doctor can cause the tumor to grow larger, causing dangerous complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding, stomach perforation or metastasis.

“The case of patient Y. was discovered at the right time, the golden time for radical intervention without affecting the structure and function of the digestive system.

Therefore, when there are unusual symptoms in the abdomen, patients should go for an early check-up for timely diagnosis and treatment," said Dr. Duong.

According to Dr. Duong, the biggest advantage of the stapler technique in GIST tumor intervention is that it allows the treatment team to treat the tumor quickly, neatly, and accurately while still preserving healthy tissue. Thanks to that, patients recover faster, have less pain, and significantly reduce the risk of post-operative complications.

With a team of experienced doctors and the application of many modern techniques, Nam Sai Gon International General Hospital has become a reliable address in the treatment of complex digestive diseases, helping patients overcome surgery safely and recover quickly, returning to daily life soon.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/sang-viet-nam-chua-tri-can-benh-hiem-de-nham-voi-day-hoi-20250707155857334.htm