Mongolian medical student regains life after complex surgery at SNUBH in Korea

A 19-year-old Mongolian medical student who had been turned away by hospitals in Mongolia and China after suffering devastating injuries in a traffic accident has made a remarkable recovery following a high-risk surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUHB) in Korea.

Enkhjin Ganbayar, a first-year student at the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, was discharged on July 16 in stable condition after undergoing a complex abdominal reconstruction led by Professor Shin Hong-kyung of the Department of Trauma and Critical Care Surgery at SNUBH. She is now receiving rehabilitation treatment, preparing to return to Mongolia on her own two feet.

Ganbayar’s ordeal began in September 2024, shortly after entering medical school, when a severe traffic accident left her with crushed internal organs, internal bleeding, and multiple fractures of the pelvis and femur.

Despite four major operations in Mongolia, including an above-knee amputation due to sepsis, her condition worsened. In October, she was transferred to a hospital in China, but after five months of difficult treatment, doctors there also concluded that further surgery was impossible, forcing her return home.

With no medical options left, Ganbayar and her family turned to Korea as a last resort. The International Healthcare Center at SNUBH reviewed her case and agreed to attempt surgery.

When she arrived in June, doctors found her abdominal wall still open, patched only with thin skin after repeated failed surgeries. She relied on a stoma for nutrition and bowel function, faced constant infection risks, and was unable to eat or live independently.

On July 1, Professor Shin and his team at SNUBH performed a complex operation to repair organ damage, reconnect the gastrointestinal tract, and reconstruct the abdominal wall.

The team successfully removed the stoma, restored her digestive function, and rebuilt her abdomen. Within two weeks, she was able to eat regular meals, maintain stable health without infection, and eventually walk out of the hospital.

“Her condition when she first came to us was heartbreaking, with countless surgical scars and an abdomen that had never been fully closed,” Professor Shin said. “We felt a deep responsibility not only to save her life but to help him regain the ability to live normally. Seeing him leave the hospital in good health was an incredibly rewarding moment for all of us.”

Following the surgery, the medical team also initiated a rehabilitation program for her amputated leg, fitting him with a prosthesis to help him walk independently. Over the next two weeks, her will continue rehabilitation before returning to Mongolia.

“After the accident, I endured an incredibly difficult time, but now I can eat on my own and walk again,” said Ganbayar, speaking about her recovery. “This surgery in Korea has strengthened my dream of becoming a doctor, and I even hope to return to SNUBH someday for training and a fellowship.”