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Results
By Mayo Clinic staffAfter a successful pancreas transplant, your new pancreas will make the insulin your body needs, so you'll no longer need insulin therapy to treat diabetes. But even with the best possible match between you and the donor, your immune system will try to reject your new pancreas. So you'll need medications to suppress your immune system. You'll likely take these or similar drugs for the rest of your life. Because medications to suppress your immune system make your body more vulnerable to infection, your doctor may also prescribe antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal medications.
Pancreas transplant survival rates
According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, transplanted pancreas and kidney survival rates include the following.
- Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant. In about 87 percent of people who receive a simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant, the transplanted pancreas is still functioning after one year. After five years, that rate is about 72 percent.
- Pancreas-after-kidney transplant. In about 77 percent of people who receive a pancreas-after-kidney transplant, the transplanted pancreas is still functioning after one year. Five years after transplant, the rate is about 59 percent.
- Pancreas-only transplant. In about 85 percent of people who receive a pancreas-only transplant, the transplanted pancreas is still functioning after one year. After five years, that rate is about 52 percent.
It's unclear why results are better for those who receive a kidney and pancreas at the same time. But some research suggests it may be because it's more difficult to monitor and detect rejection of a pancreas alone, versus a pancreas and a kidney.
If your new pancreas fails, you can resume insulin treatments and consider a second transplant. This decision will depend on your current health, your ability to withstand surgery and your expectations for maintaining a certain quality of life.
- Humar A, et al. Transplantation. In: Brunicardi FC, et al. Schwartz's Principles of Surgery. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=799511. Accessed June 24, 2009.
- Robertson RP. Patient selection for and immunologic issues related to kidney-pancreas transplantation in diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 25, 2009.
- Pancreas Kaplan-Meier graft survival rates for transplants performed 1997-2004, by diagnosis. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov/latestData/rptStrat.asp. Accessed July 5, 2009.
- Facts about pancreas transplants. American Society of Transplantation. http://www.a-s-t.org/files/pdf/patient_education/english/AST-EdBroPANCREAS-ENG.pdf. Accessed June 30, 2009.
- American Diabetes Association position statement: Pancreas and islet transplantation in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2006;29:935.
- Getting a kidney-pancreas transplant. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=159. Accessed June 24, 2009.
- Robertson RP. Benefits and complications associated with kidney-pancreas transplantation in diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 25, 2009.
- Larson-Wadd K, et al. Pancreas and islet cell transplantation. Anesthesiology Clinics of North America. 2004;22:663.
- Coping with the physical side effects of anti-rejection medications. American Society of Transplantation. http://www.healthytransplant.com/index.php?q=quality_of_life/coping_with_the_physical_side_effect_of_anti-rejection_medications. Accessed July 5, 2009.
- Punch JD. Organ transplantation. In: Doherty GM, et al. Current Surgical Diagnosis & Treatment. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2066708. Accessed June 24, 2009.
- Robertson RP. Pancreas and islet transplantation in diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 25, 2009.
- OPTN/SRTR annual report: Adjusted graft survival by year of transplant at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years, kidney-pancreas transplants — pancreas graft. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. http://www.ustransplant.org/annual_reports/current/809b_kp.htm. Accessed July 7, 2009.
- OPTN/SRTR annual report: Adjusted graft survival by year of transplant at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years, pancreas after kidney (PAK) transplants. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. http://www.ustransplant.org/annual_reports/current/709_pak.htm. Accessed July 7, 2009.
- OPTN/SRTR annual report: Adjusted graft survival by year of transplant at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years, pancreas transplant alone (PTA) transplants. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. http://www.ustransplant.org/annual_reports/current/609_pta.htm. Accessed July 7, 2009.
