Pancreas Transplant
The possibility of having a pancreas transplant can feel overwhelming. Our experienced team understands and is here to support you. Our pancreas transplant program is the largest in the state and will care for you every step of the way with a proven track record of excellent outcomes.
Why choose us for pancreas transplant?
WashU Medicine physicians deliver national leading transplant care at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and St. Louis Children's Hospital. Our transplant center has performed over 200 pancreas transplants. Our skilled transplant team uses their knowledge and experience to provide exceptional care throughout the transplant process.
We offer:
- Comprehensive Type 1 diabetes care: Our transplant surgeons and nephrologists have extensive expertise performing and managing pancreas transplants for Type 1 diabetes.
- Excellent outcomes: Our pancreas transplant outcomes consistently meet or exceed national averages.
- Innovative organ acquisition: We work closely with an organ procurement organization (OPO)—Mid-America Transplant—to streamline pancreas transplantation.
- Team approach: Our dedicated transplant team of nurse coordinators, social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, surgeons, and nephrologists provide coordinated care throughout the transplant process. You get a seamless experience and are at a decreased risk for infection following surgery.
- Research and innovation: Our partnership with WashU Medicine means we are actively involved in pancreas transplant research. This dedication to research gives you access to the latest innovations in pancreas transplant care.
- Patient and family support: You and your loved ones get access to education, support groups, psychological counseling, and our Transplant Mentor Program. In this program, someone who has already had a transplant provides you with information, guidance, and emotional support.
What is pancreas transplant?
A pancreas transplant is a type of surgery in which you receive a healthy donor pancreas.
A pancreas transplant is a choice for some people with type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the pancreas doesn't make the hormone insulin. The usual treatment for type 1 diabetes is daily injections of insulin.
Other patients may need a pancreas transplant due to damage from acute or chronic pancreatitis. Others need a transplant due to a severe abdominal injury, such as from an car accident.
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. Or the kidney transplant may be done earlier or after the pancreas transplant. Sometimes a living person will donate part of their pancreas for transplant.
In a pancreas transplant, your own pancreas stays in your body. The surgeon connects the new pancreas to your intestines or to your urinary bladder. This is so its digestive juices can flow right into your intestines or into your bladder. After a successful transplant, you may no longer need to take insulin to control your blood sugar. Instead, the new pancreas will create insulin for you. You may be able to eat a regular diet, too. In addition, you will likely have few or no episodes of low (or very high) blood sugar. Your risk for kidney, eye, and nerve damage will also likely go down.
Pancreas islet cell transplant is another option. Islet cells are the cells in your pancreas that make hormones, including insulin. Experimental clinical trials are underway to find out if an islet cell transplant will work to treat diabetes. So far, trials have shown that an islet cell transplant is simpler and less invasive than a pancreas transplant, but it doesn't work as well. Advances have been made in using stem cells as a treatment. These are cells in the body that can be programmed to form certain types of cells. In this case, the stem cells form islet cells.
Who is able to have a pancreas transplant?
Most pancreas transplants are done for people who have type 1 diabetes. They will likely also have other problems due to diabetes. These include kidney damage, nerve damage, eye problems, or other problems. Or doctors may allow a transplant for someone whose diabetes is out of control even with medicine. This is often the case when low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) has been a long-lasting problem. Some people with type 2 diabetes may be able to qualify for a pancreas transplant. A pancreas transplant also works best on people without heart or blood vessel disease. If you choose a transplant, you may be asked to stop smoking or lose weight before the surgery.
What are the risks of a pancreas transplant?
The main risks are infection and organ rejection. Rejection is when the body’s immune system attacks the new organ as a "foreign" invader. To reduce the chances of rejection, the care team matches the blood and tissue type of the organ donor to the person getting the transplant.
You'll also receive special medicines to prevent rejection. You need to take these medicines as long as the organ is in your body. These medicines suppress the immune system. The medicines also make it more likely for you to pick up infections like colds and the flu.
Over time, the medicines may increase your risk for some types of cancer. This includes a higher risk for skin cancer. Because of this, it’s important to cover up in the sun and wear sunscreen.
Is there a waiting list for a pancreas transplant?
There are more people in need of a healthy pancreas than there are donors. The wait for a pancreas can be quite long. On average, it may take about 2 to 3 years. Surgeons may plan to do a pancreas transplant at the same time as a kidney transplant. This is done to help control blood glucose levels and reduce harm to the new kidney. The chance of rejection is less if the immune type of the donated organ matches well with your body.
What are the results after a pancreas transplant?
The long-term results for people who have a pancreas transplant are good. People who have kidney-pancreas transplants also tend to have less chance of rejection. A good long-term result depends on a number of factors. This includes control of your blood sugar. You will need tests over time to make sure that your pancreas transplant is still working well. It’s vital to keep all your doctor appointments.
Search for a specialist
Our highly trained team of specialists offers advanced treatments as well as compassionate, personalized care.
Pancreas transplant testing and treatments
We understand that people with Type 1 diabetes may experience health problems that significantly affect quality of life.
Our specialists perform several types of pancreas transplants for Type 1 diabetes. They can address complications such as severe hypoglycemia (extremely low blood sugar) and brittle diabetes (poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes).
Our pancreas transplant outcomes consistently meet or exceed national averages, allowing you to live a full, healthy life. We have completed over 200 pancreas transplants, so you can trust our thorough experience at every step of the transplant process.
We offer several pancreas transplant options: