In the past 30 years, the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition “Salvador Zubiran”* (INCMNSZ by its initials in Spanish) of Mexico´s Ministry of Health, has practiced 255 liver transplants, thanks to its successful program with results comparable to anywhere in the world. In this way, it has been the center with more procedures of its kind in Mexico for the last four years.
At a press conference, specialists of the INCMNSZ, headed by the Director of Surgery at the hospital, Miguel Angel Mercado, said that from 2008 to 2015 were performed between 188 and 190 surgeries of this kind, and only last year were 50, most of them successfully.
They stressed that the Institute carry out the same number of transplants than academic hospitals in some states of the American Union, due to the multidisciplinary efforts of medical professionals.
They reported that the surgery mortality decreased from 22 percent in the period 2000-2007 to three percentage points from 2008 to 2015. Survival in the last period is 95 percent to one year of life, and 89 to three years.
Dr. Alan Gabriel Contreras Saldivar, attached to the Department of Transplant at the INCMSZ, explained that in many cases the best treatment option for treating liver failure and lack of function brought about by multiple causes.
He explained that most of the times when the disease presents, is not only because of alcohol abuse consumption, but also for other illnesses such as hepatitis C, NASH disease and liver autoimmune problems.
He noted that the Institute receives each time more people with liver disease that can be serious, acute or secondary, due to the use of substances sold as miracle products to burn fat or herbolary. Miracle products in Mexico are those products that promise to cure or improve population health without scientific studies that confirm their security; this products may damage our vital organs, such as skin, liver, kidney, among others.
Doctors Gabriela Castro, Ignacio García, Mario Vilatoba Chapa, Paulino Leal and Jorge Zamudio, agreed that with that these miracle products affect the liver, according to each personal situation of those who consume it, because the damage can be in a few days or in years.
They talked about the evolution of liver transplant in Mexico: in INCMNSZ the first attempt was in 1985, but a successful case was recorded three years later. Across the country are performed between 150 and 155 transplants annually, mainly from deceased donors.
Over time, he explained, the number of procedures increased significantly and improved survival.
Experts expressed the need to find strategies to get more donors, since countries like Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Cuba, Venezuela and Peru produce more donors per million habitants than Mexico.
He said that, until now, exist 400 patients on waiting list to receive a liver transplant.
*The National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition “Salvador Zubiran”, is one of Mexico´s Ministry of Health Institutes that provides tertiary care to adults.
It was named after Dr. Salvador Zubiran, a Mexican doctor who educated great physicians and had a transcendental career in the public health sector in Mexico.
Dr. Salvador Zubiran fostered the research and study of several illnesses, the formation of specialists, and the widening of infrastructure and necessary equipment. He was a leader and public promoter of creating the right conditions to benefit the population.
The National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition “Salvador Zubiran” is the medical institution in Mexico that has the largest number of researchers, and scientific production.
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