ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The residents of Puerto Rico (PR) had limited access to liver transplantation (LTx) prior to 1996. LTx remains locally unavailable and success rates for LTx for patients from PR have never been published. The outcome of the first 100 LTx recipients from PR transplanted at our center is analyzed. METHODS: 100 consecutive patients transplanted between 3/1997 and 1/2005 were evaluated. RESULTS: Hepatitis C was the indication for LTx in 44%. Overall patient survival at 1, 3 and 5 yrs was: 94.0%, 81.4% and 75.7%, respectively, while for hepatitis C, it was 90%, 73% and 73%, respectively. At mean follow up of 44 mo., 80% of patients were alive (66% HCV were alive vs 91% non HCV, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Access to LTx in Puerto Rico has dramatically improved since 1996. The government-sponsored fund has provided access to indigent patients. Decreased survival in this minority population was not observed at 1, 3 and 5 years. Long-term survival was most affected by recurrence of HCV.
