Pancreas Transplant
In a pancreas transplant, a healthy pancreas from a deceased donor is surgically implanted into a patient whose pancreas is no longer functioning correctly.
The pancreas is an organ that is located behind the bottom portion of the stomach. Its production of the hormone insulin, which controls the uptake of sugar into cells, is one of its primary roles.
If the pancreas fails to generate enough insulin and blood sugar levels rise to harmful levels, type 1 diabetes may occur. The most frequent justification for pancreatic replacements is type 1 diabetes. Pancreas transplantation is one possible treatment for this condition. A pancreas transplant, however, is often only carried out in people who have severe problems from diabetes since it might have major side effects. Type 2 diabetes may occasionally be treated with pancreas transplants. Rarely, pancreas transplants are used to treat pancreatic cancer, bile duct cancer, and other cancers.
In patients whose kidneys have been harmed by diabetes, a pancreas transplant is frequently performed in combination with a kidney transplant.
Other Transplantation Treatments
Causes For Pancreas Transplant
A pancreas transplant may improve blood sugar control and restore insulin production in diabetics, but it is not a common form of therapy. After a pancreas transplant, anti-rejection medications are frequently needed, and they can have severe side effects.
For patients with any of the following conditions, doctors may recommend a Pancreatic Transplant:
Type 1 diabetes that cannot be controlled with standard treatment
- Frequent insulin reactions
- Consistently poor blood sugar control
- Severe kidney damage
Type 2 diabetes associated with both low insulin resistance and low insulin production
For those with type 2 diabetes, a pancreas transplant is typically not a choice for treatment. Because type 2 diabetes does not result from an issue with the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin, but rather from the body becoming resistant to it or unable to use it correctly.
However, a pancreas transplant may be a therapeutic choice for some type 2 diabetics who have both low insulin resistance and low insulin production. People with type 2 diabetes receive about 15% of all pancreas replacements.
Types Of Pancreatic Transplant
There are several different types of pancreas transplants, including:
Pancreas Transplant Alone
Candidates for a pancreas transplant alone may include those with diabetes and early or no kidney failure. A healthy pancreas is implanted into a recipient whose pancreas is no longer working correctly during a pancreas transplant surgery.
Combined Kidney-Pancreas Transplant
For diabetics who already have renal failure or are at risk of developing it, surgeons frequently conduct combined (simultaneous) kidney and pancreas transplants. The majority of pancreas surgeries take place concurrently with kidney transplants. This strategy aims to give you a healthy kidney and pancreas that are unlikely to later cause diabetes-related kidney damage.
Pancreas-After-Kidney Transplant
If a living or dead kidney donor becomes available, a kidney transplant may be advised first for those who must endure a lengthy waiting period for both a donor kidney and a donor pancreas. You will have a pancreas transplant once a donor pancreas becomes available, following your recovery from kidney transplant procedure.
Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplant
Insulin-producing cells (islet cells) from the pancreas of a deceased donor are injected into a vein that supplies blood to your liver during a pancreatic islet cell transplant. It might be necessary to administer donated islet cells more than once. The use of islet cell transplantation is being researched as a treatment for type 1 diabetics who have severe, advancing problems. It can only be done as part of a clinical study that has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
