Transplantation of the Pancreas

Overview

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease with increasing prevalence in the population of thewhole word. Transplantationof pancreas represents pro tempore the only treatment of Type I diabetes, which can assure long-lasting normalglycaemia and the independence from the insulin administration. However, transplantation still has higher morbidityand requires permanent immunosuppression. Authors describe their clinical experience with more than 200 transplantationof pancreas and they compare them with literary data. They review the basic problems and indications tothe transplantation and in details describe the technique of the operation. Attention is given to the possiblecomplications and to the immunological side of treatment. As a standard, the surgical technique has been usingcombined transplantation of pancreas and kidney. The most widely used method is the transplantation of the wholegland with a duodenal segment, which enables drainage of pancreatic juices into the intestine of the recipient. Dueto the introduction of new immunosuppressives, it is possible to improve the long-term results of transplantations.Early diagnostics of the rejection of the pancreatic graft remains a specific problem.

Key words:
transplantation of pancreas, diabetes mellitus.