More on kidney transplantation and kidney exchange in Mexico

In La Prensa: Donación de órganos, insuficiente en México

From Google translate:
"Arturo Dib Kuri, director general of Pro-Renal and pioneer of the transplant program in Mexico, reported that the cadaveric donation in Mexico, despite the efforts that have been made to promote it, does not reach more than 400 donations a year, which is totally insufficient for the 13 thousand patients on the waiting list.
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"He indicated that, according to INEGI, 120,000 Mexicans suffer from renal insufficiency, which places it as the fifth cause of death in Mexico.

"Érick Vélez, for his part, explained that chronic renal failure is a progressive disease, caused mainly by diabetes and hypertension. He reported that in Mexico there are about 60 thousand people in dialysis treatment, which translates into an economic cost of 250 thousand dollars annually, in a comparison between public, social and private hospitals.

"Meanwhile, Dr. Dib Kuri noted that only 24% of patients manage to access an organ annually through two channels: 1) cadaveric donation and 2) donation among compatible living people.

"Dib Kuri said that 1 in 3 Mexicans who require a kidney transplant, has a family member or close friend willing to donate a kidney voluntarily.

"However, the procedure can not be completed because recipient and donor are genetically incompatible, which generates a great feeling of frustration.

"He said that finding genetically identical or similar beings is extremely difficult, but currently in Pro-Renal uses an algorithm, which can identify highly compatible donors, "almost as if it were a twin brother."

"This is a third way to carry out the renal transplantation called Donation Renal [kidney exchange], a novel alternative that, through technology, allows pairs of patients and their incompatible donors, can identify and find other couples in the same situation , with which they are compatible, said the specialist.

"Such a procedure works thanks to a sophisticated Compatibility Algorithm, which allows the analysis of hundreds of genetic variables to accurately determine the genetic match between individuals, even among unknown, unrelated individuals located in different geographic locations.
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"He mentioned that Pro-Renal AC works hand in hand with the Alliance for Paired Kidney Donation, the pioneering organization in the field that has more than 3,500 registered couples and experience of more than 350 transplants performed."