Vietnamese doctor aids American passenger with mid-flight medical emergency

A Vietnamese doctor aboard a flight from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City provided critical medical aid to an American passenger who experienced a severe health issue mid-flight. The passenger, traveling on flight VN99, began vomiting large amounts of blood after the plane had been airborne for over an hour.

Responding to a call for medical assistance broadcast over the plane's public address system, Dr. Do Tien Hai, head of the Cranio-Maxillofacial Microsurgery Department at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, stepped forward. He was joined by a U.S. nurse. Dr. Hai diagnosed the passenger with potential bleeding from a ruptured Kiesselbach's plexus in the anterior nasal cavity, with the vomiting likely caused by swallowing blood.

Dr. Hai administered first aid, including applying pressure to the affected area and monitoring the passenger's vital signs, which remained stable. After 30 minutes, the bleeding stopped. Following a consultation with the flight crew and the nurse, the decision was made to continue the flight. The doctor and nurse continued to provide care, including applying cold compresses to the passenger's nose, ensuring the bleeding did not resume. The flight landed safely in Ho Chi Minh City early on August 7, and both the airline and the passenger expressed their sincere gratitude to Dr. Hai for his life-saving intervention.

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The flight crew sent a thank you letter to Dr. Do Tien Hai for assisting in the timely treatment of the American passenger on the plane.