Pancreas Transplant

at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital

Building on extensive experience and a long history of nationally-recognized care in transplant nephrology and hepatology, we are prepared to manage all aspects of the pancreatic transplant process. We are committed to promoting a patient-centered, multidisciplinary approach to the care of the patient with end-stage organ failure.

Our team of professionals is made up of specialists from SLUCare Physician Group, specially-trained nurses, physician assistants, social workers, dietitians, financial coordinators, a dedicated transplant Intensive Care Unit and various administrative personnel.

We are committed to delivering the highest quality care possible, and our outcomes reflect our combined focus on clinical excellence and research. With direct access to our medical team 24/7, patients referred to the SLUCare Center for Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases can expect a smooth process from referral to post-surgery follow-up.

A pancreas transplant could mean a new lease on life. Your doctor will discuss ways you can take action to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a nutritious diet or exercising. Our experienced team at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital will be with you every step of the way.

Who is a candidate for a pancreas transplant?

Candidates for pancreas transplantation must have type 1 diabetes along with nerve damage, eye problems, or another complication of the disease. Usually, health providers consider a transplant for someone whose diabetes is out of control despite medical intervention. People with type 2 diabetes still produce some insulin, so a new pancreas would not help them. A pancreas transplant also works best on people without heart or blood vessel disease. If you’re chosen for a transplant, you may be asked to stop smoking or lose weight before the surgery.

What is a pancreas transplant?

Pancreas transplantation is a type of surgery in which you receive a healthy donor pancreas. A pancreas transplant is an option for some people with type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas stops producing the hormone insulin. The usual treatment for type 1 diabetes involves daily injections of insulin.

What should I expect during a pancreas transplant?

During a pancreas transplant, you’ll receive a healthy pancreas from a donor who has died. If you have kidney failure from your diabetes, your surgeon may also do a kidney transplant at the same time. The kidney transplant may be done earlier or even after the pancreas transplant.

What’s unique about a pancreas transplant is that your own pancreas remains in your body. During the surgery, the surgeon will connect the new pancreas to your bladder or to the intestines so its digestive juices can drain. After a successful transplant, you’ll no longer need to take insulin. Instead, the new pancreas will create insulin for you. You can eat a regular diet, too. You’ll have few or no episodes of low blood sugar or insulin shock and your risk for kidney damage will go down.

What are the risks of a pancreas transplant?

The procedure’s risks are infection and rejection. Rejection happens when the body’s immune system mistakes the new organ as a “foreign” invader and attacks it. To reduce the chances of rejection, doctors try to match the blood and tissue type of the organ donor to the person getting the transplant. After the transplant, doctors prescribe special drugs that suppress the immune system, such as azathioprine and cyclosporine, to help prevent rejection of the new pancreas. However, these drugs make it more likely for transplant patients to pick up infections like colds and the flu. Over time, the drugs may also increase the risk for certain cancers. Because of the higher risk for skin cancer, for example, it’s important to cover up and wear sunscreen. If you get a pancreas transplant, you must take special medications as long as you have the transplanted organ in your body. It’s also crucial to keep all your doctor appointments.

Is there a waiting list for pancreas transplant?

Currently, more people are in need of a healthy pancreas than can be provided for with donors. The wait for a pancreas can be quite long – on average, 300 to 400 days. When a donor pancreas is not available, a partial pancreas from a living relative can be donated. Surgeons may plan to do a pancreas transplant at the same time as a kidney transplant, to help control blood glucose levels and reduce damage to the new kidney. The chance of rejection is less if doctors ensure that the living donor’s blood proteins are compatible with those of the patient.

What is the outlook after a pancreas transplant?

The long-term outlook for people who receive a pancreas transplant is quite good. A recent report in the Review of Diabetic Studies found that the five-year survival rate for pancreas transplant patients during the past 25 years is greater than 83 percent. People who receive simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplants also tend to have less chance of rejection.