The General Hospital of the National Medical Center La Raza of the IMSS has performed over 400 transplants in 2025, incorporating techniques like plasmapheresis to improve organ compatibility. These innovations have expanded opportunities for patients on waiting lists. An exemplary case is that of Karla, who successfully received her second kidney transplant.
The National Medical Center La Raza of the Mexican Social Security Institute stands as a reference in organ and tissue transplants in Mexico. So far in 2025, it has carried out 90 kidney procedures, 11 heart transplants (including two combined with kidney), 270 cornea transplants, two liver, one lung, and 43 hematopoietic cell transplants, exceeding 400 in total.
Laura Portillo Téllez, head of the Intraabdominal Transplants Service at the High Specialty Medical Unit, explained that since last year, innovative therapies have been applied to increase compatibility and transplant opportunities. One of them is plasmapheresis, a procedure that separates plasma from blood to remove antibodies and reduce patient sensitization.
As an example, Portillo Téllez recounted the case of Karla, diagnosed with renal hypoplasia and chronic renal insufficiency. In 2013, she received her first kidney transplant from her mother, a living donor. Two and a half years later, she experienced graft rejection and returned to hemodialysis while awaiting a second transplant, which was performed a month ago.
Currently, Karla is in good health. “My sleep has regulated, I noticed changes in my skin, hair, and nail growth, plus I no longer have to wake up at dawn for hemodialysis sessions,” the patient shared, who has resumed her studies and work.
These advances highlight the IMSS's commitment to health innovation, improving the quality of life for beneficiaries through more accessible and effective procedures.