Pancreas transplantation

Pancreas transplantation is a surgical procedure to place a healthy pancreas from a deceased donor into a person whose pancreas no longer functions properly.

Indications

Pancreas transplantation is usually performed on patients with type 1 diabetes who have severe, life-threatening complications. Most pancreas transplants are done to treat type 1 diabetes.

Procedure

During a pancreas transplant, the patient's damaged pancreas is left in place. The new pancreas is positioned in a different location. This is because the surgery to remove a pancreas is complicated and can potentially cause significant complications. The donor's pancreas and portion of the small intestine are surgically placed into the recipient's lower abdomen. The donor intestine is attached to either the recipient's intestine or bladder to drain pancreatic digestive juices. The donor pancreas is then connected to blood vessels that also supply blood to the legs.

Risks

As with any major surgery, pancreas transplant surgery carries risks, including infection and bleeding. After the transplant, the immune system might reject the new pancreas. Immunosuppressant medications can help prevent this.

Outcome

A successful pancreas transplant can stabilize blood sugar levels and eliminate the need for insulin shots, which can help prevent future complications of diabetes.

See also

• Diabetes
• Organ transplantation
• Pancreas

References

Pancreas transplantation Resources
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