- The IMSS organ transplant program began in 1963.
- For the first time, the same hospital performed four simultaneous kidney transplants and the beneficiaries were Estephany, Óscar, César and José Luis, aged 27, 26, 44 and 49, respectively.
- The entire process required between 24 and 36 hours from organ procurement to complete intervention.
Organ donation is a highly relevant activity that translates into giving life from one person to another. It is one of the noblest acts that exist and has achieved an important evolution with the advancement of technology. In that sense, Kidney transplants are the most requested in Mexico and something outstanding is that never before in the country’s history has the same hospital performed four simultaneous ones, but now it has finally been achieved.
Description of what happened
This historic feat was accomplished in the Specialty Hospital of the National Medical Center (CMN) Siglo XXI of the IMSS. Thanks to the support of the donors and the medical staff, four kidney transplants were carried out simultaneously. It is the first time that something similar has been achieved since the transplant program began at the High Specialty Medical Unit (UMAE) in 1963.
The head of the Transplant Unit of the Hospital de Especialidades, Dr. Ramon Espinoza Perezreported that last Thursday, January 27, the patients who received a kidney were Estephany, Óscar, César and José Luis, aged 27, 26, 44 and 49, respectively, who presented kidney failure.
He explained that each intervention lasted about five hours, but the entire process took between 24 and 36 hours from the call within the continuous transplant program, the logistics for the transfer of the organ procurement teams to La Paz, Baja California, and to the city of Querétaro, where thanks to the altruism of relatives of two deceased patients. With this, it was possible to have four kidneys to benefit the same number of people and change their lives.
Achievement #IMSS medical feat with four simultaneous kidney transplants in Hospital de Especialidades #CMNSigloXXI. ????????????????⚕️????????⚕️????
➡️ https://t.co/2xoVSgppbH pic.twitter.com/MhbwuIjW9v
— IMSS (@Your_IMSS) February 8, 2023
Espinoza Pérez mentioned that during the procurement by the surgical team, the clinicians of the service summoned 17 recipients, who were asked laboratory tests, X-rays, PCR of COVID-19 and chest tomography to determine which were compatible with the donated organs, in order to be transplanted and that they did not have any medical contraindications.
“The samples from the recipients and donors were sent to the histocompatibility laboratory here at our Hospital, to carry out cross-matching and compatibility tests.”
He added that jointly, with the rest of the hospital services, with the head of the operating room, the surgery division, the general management and the medical management, steps were taken to have four operating rooms.
“Once the patients were chosen, their catheters were placed in each one and the preparation that every patient must have to be transplanted was made.”
He commented that having the four operating rooms was an additional challenge because they are not available exclusively for the Transplant Unit.
Dr. Ramón Espinoza stated that the support of the other UMAE services was requested to give up their rooms and he spoke with the scheduled patients, where he explained to them that the situation was an emergency because “the sooner these kidneys are transplanted, the patient is doing better.
He stressed that these procedures included the work of an entire multidisciplinary team from the hospital and led to an extra effort from the staff during the four surgeries, where there were no technical-surgical problems and the evolution of the patients has been favourable.
Work done during the beginning of 2023
The urologist and transplant surgeon recalled that during the last week 13 patients received transplants, six deceased donor procurations were made, a living donor was confirmed, and 13 bank surgeries were performed on the transplanted kidneys. However, so far this year, 20 kidney transplants have been performed, of which four were from a living donor and 16 from a deceased donor.
He added that during 2022, 165 kidney transplants were performed at the UMAE, 92 from a living donor and 73 from a cadaveric donor; while before the COVID-19 pandemic there was an average of more than 180 transplants per year. He estimated that this year there will be favorable productivity.
Also read:
The IMSS performs half of the kidney transplants in Mexico
IMSS of Jalisco, national leader in kidney transplants
IMSS performed for the first time incompatible kidney transplants