SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

- Strengthened cooperation following MOU with the National Cancer Center of Mongolia, contributing to the improvement of liver transplantation treatment in Mongolia.

[Photo 1] Commemorative Photo: Dr. N. Erdenekhuu, Director of the National Cancer Center of Mongolia (front row, left), and Professor Lee Kwang-woong, Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital (front row, right).

[Photo 2] Liver Transplantation Surgical Team from the National Cancer Center of Mongolia and Seoul National University Hospital

Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), under the leadership of President Kim Young-tae, announced on the 25th that it successfully performed Mongolia's first laparoscopic living donor liver resection surgery on February 10, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Cancer Center of Mongolia (NCCM) in January. The MOU focuses on cooperation in medical services, clinical training, education, and research, and based on this, SNUH provided systematic training to Mongolian medical staff and introduced necessary medical equipment, dramatically improving liver transplantation treatment in Mongolia.

 

The National Cancer Center of Mongolia has been performing living donor liver transplantation since 2018, conducting 180 surgeries so far. However, to elevate their liver transplantation program to a world-class level, the introduction of laparoscopic living donor liver resection was essential. After signing the MOU, both institutions focused on medical service cooperation for patients, developing clinical training and educational programs for medical staff, and promoting joint research and academic exchanges, laying the foundation for improving liver transplantation treatment in Mongolia. SNUH provided systematic education on laparoscopic living donor liver resection, and Mongolian medical staff visited Seoul National University Hospital for training and practical experience. Through online case discussions and continuous lectures, they learned surgical techniques. Additionally, with the support of the Mongolian government, the necessary medical equipment was introduced, creating the foundation for performing laparoscopic living donor liver resection.

 

As a result of this collaboration, two successful laparoscopic living donor liver resections were performed at the National Cancer Center of Mongolia on February 10 and 11. The surgeries were conducted in collaboration with Professor Lee Kwang-woong's team from SNUH’s Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery (Professors Kim Jae-yoon, Shin Eun-hye) and Mongolian medical staff. This surgery, which contributed significantly to improving the donor's recovery speed and the post-surgery quality of life, received great attention not only from the Mongolian medical community but across the country.

Since 2015, SNUH has been performing laparoscopic living donor liver resections, having completed over 850 cases, with more than 85% of donor liver resections performed laparoscopically. In 2021, they became the first in the world to successfully perform a pure laparoscopic and robotic liver transplant for a recipient, positioning themselves as global leaders in minimally invasive liver transplantation. Following this achievement, SNUH is strengthening its collaboration with Mongolian medical staff and is supporting them in performing up to six laparoscopic living donor liver resections annually. Furthermore, in the future, SNUH plans to operate visiting programs and masterclasses to strengthen the capabilities of Mongolian medical staff and help Mongolia become self-sufficient in liver transplantation surgeries. Through this cooperation and support, SNUH aims to expand international medical collaboration and further solidify Korea's global medical reputation.

 

Professor Lee Kwang-woong, who led the surgery, stated, “It is important for Mongolian medical staff to learn laparoscopic living donor liver resection and establish a foundation to perform it safely in Mongolia. Based on the experience accumulated through this agreement, we will continue to collaborate with Mongolian medical staff and contribute to improving the level of liver transplantation in Mongolia.”