HCM City, Nov. 12 -- Doctors from Military Hospital 175 in Ho Chi Minh City have successfully performed the first open-chest surgery at the Truong Sa island infirmary, a major medical breakthrough achieved under harsh and limited conditions far from the mainland.

Colonel Phan Dinh Mung, Deputy Director of Military Hospital 175, said the successful emergency operation on a patient with serious chest injuries reflected the effective coordination between the Ministry of National Defence, Corps 18, and the hospital. The event also showed that Vietnam's military medical forces are now capable of handling complex emergencies at sea, boosting the confidence of soldiers and fishermen living and working on remote islands.

At about 14:00 on Novem...