Islet Cell Transplantation
Islet cell transplant is a medical procedure that replaces malfunctioning islet cells with healthy ones in individuals struggling with unmanageable diabetes.
Islet cell transplant involves transferring healthy islet of Langerhans cells from a healthy pancreas to a diabetic patient whose islet cells are not functioning correctly. This aims to eliminate the requirement for daily insulin injections, as pancreatic islets contain insulin-producing cells.
Transplant treatment options:
- Simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplantation (SPK): For individuals with type 1 diabetes and kidney failure, this procedure combines kidney and whole pancreas transplantation from the same donor in a single surgery, addressing both conditions at the same time.
- Pancreas after kidney transplantation (PAK): Designed for patients with a functioning kidney transplant who still have diabetes, this procedure improves diabetes control without significantly affecting the kidney transplant.
- Pancreas transplantation alone (PTA): This option is for patients with severe, hard-to-control diabetes who have normal kidneys and don't require a kidney transplant. Successful whole pancreas transplantation eliminates the need for insulin therapy.
- Islet Cell Transplantation: For those with severe, hard-to-control Type 1 diabetes, this procedure is less invasive than a pancreas transplant. This requires isolation of pancreatic islet cells for infusion into the recipient instead of transplanting a whole pancreas organ.
** All transplants require immunosuppression therapy to prevent rejection of the transplanted organ or islet cells.
If you think you are a candidate for Islet Cell Transplantation, click here to fill out the interest form.
