Immunosuppressant Drugs To Prevent Rejection of The New Pancreas Transplantation

A pancreas transplant is an organ transplant that involves implanting a healthy pancreas (one that can produce insulin) into a person who usually has diabetes (wikipedia.org). Patients with type 1 diabetes have experienced positive results from pancreas transplants. Typically, part or all of a new pancreas is surgically implanted in the lower abdominal cavity of a patient. The old pancreas is left alone; it still makes digestive enzymes even though it doesn’t make insulin. People with successful pancreas transplants may no longer need to take insulin and may have normal blood glucose levels. In addition, many of the side effects that often accompany diabetes are also prevented, or at least slowed.

The risks for pancreas transplant include:

• Blood clots (deep venous thrombosis)
• Clotting (thrombosis) of the arteries or veins of the new pancreas
• Development of certain cancers after a few years
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
• Leakage of fluid from the new pancreas where it attaches to the intestine or bladder
• Rejection

The downside to pancreas transplantation is that the body treats the new pancreas as foreign. The immune system attacks the transplanted pancreas. People with pancreas transplants must take powerful immunosuppressant drugs to prevent rejection of the new pancreas. Drugs that suppress the immune system can lower resistance to other diseases such as cancer and bacterial and viral infections. Pancreas transplantation is most often done when a patient is also receiving a new kidney. The pancreas transplant adds little further risk and offers big benefits.
However, transplant surgery is risky. Each person needs to carefully weigh the potential benefits and the risks.