Types of Pancreas Transplants
We offer several types of pancreas transplants:
- Pancreas-only transplant—You may have a pancreas-only transplant if you have type 1 diabetes that hasn’t affected your kidneys. This is rare.
- Pancreas and kidney transplant—Diabetes can affect many of your organs besides your pancreas, including your kidneys. Many people who qualify for a pancreas transplant also have kidney failure (when your kidneys stop working). In these cases, we will perform a pancreas and kidney transplant at the same time using both organs from one deceased donor.
- Pancreas after kidney transplant—Some people get a kidney transplant first. Then they get a pancreas transplant at a later date. This is called a pancreas after kidney transplant. People usually get this type of transplant when they have a living kidney donor. They get a kidney transplant with a living donor first. Then they later have surgery to get a pancreas transplant from a deceased donor.
Contact Us
Phone: 801-585-5642
Toll-free: 800-824-2073
Extension: 55642
Fax: 801-585-6373
Pancreas Organ Transplant Surgery
Our transplant coordinator will call you when a donor is available. They’ll ask you whether you’ve had any changes in your health since your last visit with our team. You will have to travel to the hospital within a few hours if the donor is a match and your health hasn’t changed.
We will operate on you within several hours of your admission to the hospital. During the procedure, your transplant surgeon will follow a few steps:
- They will make a large incision (cut) in your abdomen.
- They will remove your damaged pancreas.
- They will place the donor pancreas in your body, then attach it to your bowel and nearby blood vessels.
The procedure takes about 4-5 hours.
Pancreas Transplant Recovery
You will stay in the hospital for 7-14 days after a pancreas transplant. You will take medicine by mouth or through an intravenous (IV) line (thin tube in your vein). These medications lower the risk of your body rejecting the donor organ.
Initially, you won’t be able to eat after surgery. You will get fluid and nutrition through an IV line for a few days. You will likely experience some initial side effects:
- Nausea
- Slow bowel movement
- Vomiting
The most challenging part of recovery is in the first two weeks. Full recovery takes about 6-8 weeks.
Follow-Up Care
You will see your transplant team at least once a week after you return home. You’ll need to make arrangements to stay in the Salt Lake City area for at least one month if you live far away. We will take blood tests at every follow-up appointment to monitor your healing.