Dr Dang Dinh Minh Thanh, PhD, Specialist Level II, has recently joined FV Hospital as Head of the Thoracic Surgery Department. With more than 20 years of expertise in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, he will work closely with the FV medical team to expand the use of the Da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system in complex cases, optimising clinical outcomes in line with the guiding principle he has upheld throughout his career: “Every operation represents a patient’s entire life.”
Dr Dang Dinh Minh Thanh, Head of Thoracic Surgery and Robotic Surgery Centre, FV Hospital
Forged in One of the Most Demanding Surgical Environments
Dr Thanh’s aspiration to become a surgeon began in secondary school. After fracturing his arm during a sports activity, he was treated by a retired physician living in his neighbourhood. “Despite having only very basic equipment, he was able to heal me and many other patients. That was the first time I personally witnessed the impact that medicine can have,” Dr Thanh recalls.
His passion for medicine continued to deepen over the years. “After more than two decades in surgery, my greatest fulfilment comes from being able to achieve the best possible outcomes for patients, especially those with complex conditions that had previously been declined by multiple hospitals,” he shares.
Dr Thanh spent over 22 years working at a leading hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, widely regarded as a rigorous training ground for surgeons. On some days, he participated in eight to fourteen surgical procedures, with 24-hour on-call shifts every six days, providing emergency care for patients across southern Vietnam.
This intense and continuous workload shaped him into a surgeon with rapid reflexes, precision, strong technical expertise, and composure in life-threatening situations. More importantly, it allowed him to progress alongside major milestones in thoracic surgery, from open surgery to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and ultimately to robotic surgery.
With a strong foundation in anatomy and a keen aptitude for new technologies, Dr Thanh was among the pioneers of thoracoscopic surgery in Vietnam. In 2017, he received advanced training in the use of the Da Vinci surgical robot and became one of the first surgeons worldwide to be granted on-site robotic surgery certification, without the need to attend a regional training centre, in recognition of his exceptional competence and high surgical success rates.
Dr Minh Thanh consulting a patient prior to surgery
Throughout his career, Dr Thanh has remained guided by the philosophy that “one operation represents a patient’s entire life.” He believes that the most important quality of a surgeon is a clear awareness of the weight carried by every clinical decision. “For a doctor, it may be just one procedure on a busy schedule. For the patient, it is their entire life,” he explains. This conviction underpins his meticulous approach to surgery. Even for procedures lasting 10 to 13 hours, he considers the time justified if it leads to the best possible outcome, provided the surgery is carefully planned and every variable is tightly controlled.
This strong sense of responsibility also led him to choose FV Hospital as the next chapter of his career, an environment that enables physicians to dedicate sufficient time and attention to each patient, from diagnosis through to post-operative recovery.
Da Vinci Xi Robot: Advancing Minimally Invasive Surgery at FV
FV Hospital’s investment of over USD 3 million in the Da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system, one of the most advanced platforms in Southeast Asia, provides Dr Thanh and his team with the foundation to elevate minimally invasive surgery to a new level.
The Da Vinci Xi robotic surgical system, among the most advanced in Southeast Asia, now fully operational at FV Hospital
According to Dr Thanh, the Da Vinci Xi system is particularly advantageous for complex procedures such as lung cancer surgery with extensive lymph node dissection, mediastinal tumours, and the surgical treatment of myasthenia gravis. In these cases, robotic surgery significantly reduces tissue trauma, minimises complications, and supports faster recovery.
Robotic-assisted surgery helps reduce blood loss and post-operative pain, shortens recovery time, and markedly lessens psychological stress for patients. The robotic arms function like highly refined “miniature hands” with complete tremor filtration, allowing surgeons to operate with exceptional precision in extremely confined anatomical spaces, including areas that remain challenging even in open surgery, such as the anterior mediastinum and the pelvis.
The system’s 3D high-definition camera provides highly detailed visualisation, enabling clear identification of tissues and blood vessels. Instruments reduced in size from 12 mm to 8 mm allow for smaller incisions, less invasiveness, and optimal surgical visibility. In addition, enhancements in the Da Vinci Xi system have effectively addressed limitations of the previous Si generation, offering flexible camera positioning, reduced operating time, and shorter anaesthesia duration.
Specialised instruments, including wristed vessel-sealing devices that closely mimic the movement of the human wrist, provide exceptional precision for delicate manoeuvres. These tools represent a key advancement of the Xi system over the earlier Da Vinci Si platform, particularly in procedures such as thymectomy for the treatment of myasthenia gravis.
In his dual role as Head of Thoracic Surgery and Robotic Surgery Centre, Dr Thanh aims to build a surgical team proficient in the use of the Da Vinci Xi system, meeting international standards for safety and clinical effectiveness.
“FV possesses state-of-the-art equipment and a comprehensive care system. What we strive to deliver is our core value: the most effective surgery, supported by the most advanced medical technology, and delivered with the most attentive patient care,” he states.
To schedule a consultation for thoracic surgery, including robotic-assisted thoracic surgery with the Da Vinci Xi system, please contact the Thoracic Surgery Department, FV Hospital, 06 Nguyen Luong Bang Street, Tan My Ward (formerly District 7), Ho Chi Minh City, hotline: (028) 35 11 33 33
