title: Liver transplantation in Latin America: the state-of-the-art and future trends.
abstract: We reviewed the current status of liver transplantation in Latin America. We used data from the Latin American and Caribbean Transplant Society and national organizations and societies, as well as information obtained from local transplant leaders. Latin America has a population of 589 million (8.5% of world population) and more than 2,500 liver transplantations are performed yearly (17% of world activity), resulting in 4.4 liver transplants per million people (pmp) per year. The number of liver transplantations grows at 6% per year in the region, particularly in Brazil. The top liver transplant rates were found in Argentina (10.4 pmp), Brazil (8.4 pmp), and Uruguay (5.5 pmp). The state of liver transplantation in some countries rivals those in developed countries. Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-based allocation, split, domino, and living-donor adult and pediatric transplantations are now routinely performed with outcomes comparable to those in advanced economies. In contrast, liver transplantation is not performed in 35% of Latin American countries and lags adequate resources in many others. The lack of adequate financial coverage, education, and organization is still the main limiting factor in the development of liver transplantation in Latin America. The liver transplant community in the region should push health care leaders and authorities to comply with the Madrid and Istambul resolutions on organ donation and transplantation. It must pursue fiercely the development of registries to advance the science and quality control of liver transplant activities in Latin America.
authors.affiliation: 1 Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil. 2 Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. 3 Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 4 Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico. 5 Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 6 Hospital Británico, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 7 Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. 8 Colombiana de Transplantes, Bogota, Colombia. 9 Centro Estadual de Transplante, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 10 Mount Sinal Recanatti Miller Transplant Institute, New York, NY. 11 Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT. 12 Fundácion Vale de Lilli, Cali, Colombia. 13 Address correspondence to: Paolo R. Salvalaggio, M.D., Ph.D., Liver Transplant Unit, Av Albert Einstein, 627, Building A, 2SS, São Paulo, SP, 05652-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paolo R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Salvalaggio
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Caicedo
authors.forename: Luiz Carneiro
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Albuquerque
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: Valter D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Guilherme E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Felga
authors.forename: Rafael J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Maurette
authors.forename: José O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Medina-Pestana
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niño-Murcia
authors.forename: Lucio F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Pacheco-Moreira
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rocca
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Davalos
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruf
authors.forename: Luis A Caicedo
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rusca
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilatoba
mesh_terms: D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000639:trends; D005791:Patient Care; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement