PANCREAS TRANSPLANTATION FOR DIABETES

Pancreas transplantation for diabetes

Pancreas is glandular organ present in the human anatomy which performs the various function like aiding digestion and secretion of vital hormones such as insulin which regulate the body functions.

Pancreas transplantation is done as a last resort in patients suffering from long-term diabetes where insulin therapy starts to fail and associated problems such as renal damage or diabetic nephropathy start to surface. Pancreas transplantation is done alongside renal or kidney transplantation or as a stand-alone transplantation.

• Pancreas transplantation was carried out successfully first in the year 1966 in the United States.
• It is emerging a top most solution for people suffering from long-term type 1 diabetes
• It is also successful in patients who suffer from type 2 diabetes and are insulin dependent.
• The major task of the replaced new pancreas is to stabiles the blood glucose levels in the body, which the damaged pancreas has ceased to perform.
• Stand alone pancreas transplants are termed as PTA or Pancreas transplantation alone procedures
• KAP or Kidney and pancreas transplantation are for patients suffering from end-stage renal problems due to diabetic nephropathy.

Procedure :

• A pancreas which is healthy is taken from a brain-dead person whose heart is still beating after the consent from the respective relatives.
• A part of the pancreas can be taken from live donors especially blood relatives and is transplanted into the recipient’s body
• The donor’s pancreas has to match with that of the recipient.
• The PTA procedure takes about three to four hours and is a surgical procedure performed under anesthesia.
• Post-transplantation the patient is under intensive care to prevent the risk of infections and rejection of the pancreas by the recipient’s body.
• Immune suppressants and other drugs have to be used by the patient life-long. It may take three to six weeks for the patient to stabilize and return to normalcy.
• The risk in stand- alone pancreas transplantation for diabetes is quite low. 95 to 97% of patients survive the first year of the transplant and many patients continue to live for about more than a dozen years, and the survival rates continue to improve with major advancements in the procedure.

Risk factors : Pancreas transplantation carries the following risk factors such as :

• Heavy bleeding during and after the surgery leading to blood loss.
• Formation of blood clots leading to other serious complications though very rare may occur.
• Rejection of the new pancreas by the recipient’s immune system is a big challenge.
• The drugs prescribed after the transplantation may have certain side-effects on the patient’s body like an increase in blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

Advantages of The transplant :

• The need for insulin therapy is eliminated
• The persons see improvement in the quality of life
• Diabetes is reversed permanently at one go

KIMS is the best hospital for pancreas transplant in Hyderabad. It has a renowned team of gastroenterologists, diabetologists and endocrinologists by eminent surgeons and physicians like Dr. Srinivas Prabhu Chava, Dr. G V Chanukya and team. The team has done PTA and KAP Procedures in patients suffering from acute and chronic forms of diabetes. Pancreas treatment is the best of its kind in KIMS hospital, Secunderabad. It is the best hospital for pancreas transplant in south India and is known for following ethical practices and adherence to rules and regulations of organ transplantation Act. Best treatment, ethical and transparent practices and the best doctors make KIMS a viable option for pancreas transplant in Hyderabad