[Pancreas and islet transplantation in patients with diabetes mellitus]

Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2008 Mar;52(2):355-66. doi: 10.1590/s0004-27302008000200024.
[Article in Portuguese]

Abstract

Pancreas and kidney transplants have specific indications, benefits and risks. The procedure has become more common and more often as long-term success has improved and risks have decreased. Compared with a patient being on dialysis, simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant offers a distinct advantage when it comes to mortality, quality of life and diabetic complications. Since there can be a living-donor kidney transplant,, a possibly similar patient and graft survival by 10 years follow-up, this procedure should be considered. Pancreas after kidney transplants, when successful, can improve microvascular complications compared with kidney transplant alone, but immediate mortality may be higher. Solitary pancreas transplantation can improve the quality of life in selected patients, but it may also increase the immediate risk of mortality due to the complexity of the surgery and the risks of immunosupression. The results of Islet transplantation differ from the higher metabolic performance achieved by whole pancreas allotransplantation and its applicability is limited to selected adult diabetic patients.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chronic Disease
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / mortality
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / surgery*
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / etiology
  • Diabetic Angiopathies / mortality
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / etiology
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / mortality
  • Diabetic Neuropathies / etiology
  • Diabetic Neuropathies / mortality
  • Graft Rejection
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / methods*
  • Islets of Langerhans Transplantation / mortality
  • Kidney Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Kidney Transplantation / methods*
  • Pancreas / blood supply
  • Pancreas Transplantation / adverse effects
  • Pancreas Transplantation / methods*
  • Pancreas Transplantation / mortality
  • Survival Rate
  • Treatment Outcome