Current situation of transplant activity in Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: Since its creation, INDOT has strengthened the construction of the National Integrated Donation and Transplantation System, where the contribution of all the institutions and actors that comprise, it has become a very valuable contribution to fulfill the mission of providing organs, tissues and cells to the Ecuadorian population that depend on a transplant to live. Methodology: A quantitative, observational, descriptive study was carried out, with a retrospective cross-sectional cohort design, with the aim of knowing the production of transplant activity in the year 2022. For the management, presentation and analysis of the data, the used the Excel programs belonging to the Microsoft Office package, and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The analysis was performed based on descriptive statistics. Results: In Ecuador, during the year 2022, five hundred ninety seven (597) organ, tissue and cell transplants were performed, of which one hundred ninety two (192) were organs transplants, which is equivalent to 32,16%, three hundred thirty eight (338) corneal tissue transplants, which is equivalent to 56,62%; and, sixty seven (67) from hematopoietic progenitors, which is equivalent to 11,22%. Conclusions: Transplantation activity in Ecuador has experienced a significant increase in the number of transplants performed in recent years. From 2007 to 2022, a total of 7,373 transplants have been carried out, with 2018 being the year with the highest production with a total of 717 transplants. During the year 2022, a total of 597 organ, tissue and cell transplants were performed, which allowed the donation rate per million inhabitants to rise to 5.30. Although the pandemic has been a major obstacle to transplant activity in Ecuador, the efforts made to adapt to the new situation have allowed production to be maintained and the donation rate to improve.