Overcoming barriers and expanding opportunities in liver transplantation in Mexico

Abstract

Liver transplantation (LT) is the only curative treatment for end-stage liver disease. Although Mexico has made important strides in surgical capacity and institutional development, the country continues to report one of the lowest LT rates in Latin America. Multiple challenges remain, including inequitable access to care, limited organ donation, and structural inefficiencies in allocation systems. To review the current status of LT in Mexico, describe historical trends, highlight significant barriers to progress, and discuss potential opportunities for program expansion. We conducted a narrative review incorporating data from the National Transplant Center (Centro Nacional de Trasplantes in Spanish), relevant peer-reviewed literature, and global benchmarks. The analysis focused on trends in liver transplant volume, donor types, etiology shifts, institutional disparities, and the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. LT activity in Mexico increased from 25 transplants in 1999 to 297 in 2023. However, over 68% of transplants are concentrated in Mexico City, and only eight centers perform more than ten LTs per year. Deceased donors account for most grafts, while living donor transplants remain rare and mostly limited to private institutions. The national waiting list functions primarily as a registry rather than a priority-based allocation system. The COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted transplant programs, particularly in the public sector. Innovative approaches such as donation after circulatory death, hepatitis C virus-positive donor utilization, and advanced perfusion technologies are currently unavailable or underutilized in Mexico. Mexico's LT system faces geographic, regulatory, and resource-related limitations. To improve outcomes and ensure equitable access, strategic reforms focused on donor expansion, centralized allocation, perfusion technologies, and standardization of care are urgently needed.

Keywords: Liver transplantation; Organ donation; Mexico; Hepatitis C virus; Perfusion; Health systems; Health services accessibility

Core Tip: Liver transplantation in Mexico remains disproportionately concentrated in a few urban centers and significantly lags behind regional benchmarks. This mini-review highlights the historical development of the transplant system, ongoing challenges such as low donor rates and fragmented healthcare structures, and opportunities for innovation through donation after circulatory death protocols, hepatitis C virus-positive graft utilization, and machine perfusion strategies. Implementing national reforms could bridge the gap between transplant capacity and patient need.