pancreas transplant

A pancreas transplant involves surgically replacing a diseased pancreas with a healthy one from a donor. The pancreas has two main functions: producing digestive enzymes and secreting vital hormones like insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. Insulin is crucial for regulating carbohydrate metabolism, and insufficient production leads to type 1 diabetes. While pancreas transplants are more complex than kidney transplants, they have shown promising results and can help prevent or halt diabetes-related complications such as kidney failure and blindness.1

Pancreas transplantation is often performed alongside a kidney transplant, especially for patients with diabetic kidney failure, using organs from the same donor. This combined approach can free patients from dialysis and insulin therapy, allowing them to eat without restriction. The five-year survival rate for pancreas transplants is approximately 90 percent.1