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Pancreatic Transplant
- Days In Hospital 10 days
- Outside Hospital Stay 30 days
- Success Rate 60%
Minimum Cost
$ 20000
Maximum Cost.
$ 30000
Overview of Pancreatic Transplant in India
Pancreatic transplant is a surgical technique where the sick or damaged pancreas is substituted with healthy pancreas of a dead person. Pancreas refers to the organ existing in the left section of the body directly behind the lower section of the stomach. The pancreas operates by secretion of certain hormones such as insulin that regulates the level of the blood sugar and also digestion. In case of a disease that has resulted in the inability of the pancreas to fulfill its normal functions, it may require pancreas transplantation.
Pancreatic transplant is often done in situations where the other available treatment methods and medications have not been able to curing the disease or the condition of the pancreas is so severe that it can never be cured. The treatment of pancreatic transplant is also done in the diabetic patients whose deficiency of insulin may result in severe diabetes. The patients are usually subjected to pancreatic transplant with kidney transplant, in cases where the kidney functions are severely impaired by diabetes.
The body may not accept the new pancreas because of the difference in genes hence close relatives should be the ones to donate pancreas to prevent this rejection. Gradual increase in physical activity and exercise after transplant can be used to strengthen the body and this will assist it in accelerating the recovery process. This will help in bettering the physical and the mental health of the patient.
What Is A Pancreas Transplant?
Pancreas transplant is a surgical operation wherein a healthy pancreas of a dead donor is implanted in an individual whose own pancreas has failed to work normally.
The pancreas is an organ that is located behind the lower portion of the stomach. It produces one of the hormones, insulin that controls the uptake of sugar to the cells.
The lack of adequate production of insulin by the pancreas may cause the blood sugar levels to increase to unhealthily elevated levels leading to type 1 diabetes.
The majority of pancreas transplants are performed to treat diabetes type 1. Pancreatic transplant is a possible cure to this condition. However, it is usually only used in the patient with severe complications of diabetes due to the side effects associated with transplanting pancreas which may be severe.
In other instances, type 2 diabetes can also be cured by providing pancreas transplants. In rare cases, pancreas transplantation can be applied in treatment of pancreatic cancer, bile duct cancer or other cancers.
It is common to perform a pancreas transplant with a kidney transplant in individuals whose kidneys have been destroyed by diabetes.
Types of Pancreatic Transplant:
Pancreas-Only Transplant
A pancreas is transplanted into patients with type 1 diabetes, and their kidneys are functioning normal. The purposes of the transplant is to help control blood sugars. The benefit of the Pancreas-only transplant is that the patient will no longer require insulin injections.
Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplant
This is a type of pancreas transplant where the pancreas and the kidneys are donated from a deceased donor to a patient who has significant diabetic disease and end stage kidney disease. Both transplanted the pancreas and the kidneys will then function normal in the patient's body, relieving them of their symptoms, and curing the disease.
Pancreas-after-Kidney Transplant
If a kidney transplant results in pancreatic failure caused by diabetic complications, another organ should be transplanted immediately after the kidney transplant. This is typically done when kidney transplant results in complications of diabetes that are severe enough to require transplantation and cannot be treated with medications and/or injections.
Pancreas Islet Cell Transplantation
Islet cells are the cells that produce insulin. For individuals with diabetes, if the islet cells lose their function but all other parts of the pancreas are still intact, an islet cell transplant is performed to treat the diabetes. This procedure is usually performed with diabetes in its early stage of the disease.
Procedure:
Evaluation: The recipient will undergo an evaluation to assess their overall health and determine if they are a suitable candidate for pancreatic transplantation. This evaluation includes medical tests, imaging studies and discussions with a transplant team.
Organ Matching: A pancreas is located with a close genetic match to transplant from potential deceased donors or living donors, depending on availability and compatibility.
Surgical Preparation: The recipient is surgically prepared for surgery which entails scheduling the day of surgery for transplantation of the pancreas, preparing the surgical team, and your operating room for surgery.
Anesthesia: The recipient is put to sleep under anesthesia during the surgical procedure to be unconscious and free of pain.
Incision: The incision is made under the direction of the chosen procedure, either a large incision for open surgery or small incisions for minimally invasive surgery.
Removal of Donor Pancreas: The pancreas of the deceased person is taken out by the surgeon, along with its essential blood vessels, and a section of the small intestine.
Transplantation: The surgeon implants the donor pancreas as part of connecting the donor's blood vessels to the recipient's. After the transplant, the pancreas is connected to the recipient's small intestine or bladder for drainage.
Closing: The incisions are closed and medication is put in to prevent infection after the transplant.
Recovery: After the transplant, medicine is administered to help prevent blood clots. Medicines are administered to reduce the chances of rejection of the donor pancreas transplant.
Follow-up care: After the transplant, a healthy diet and lifestyle changes are necessary to maintain optimal health. Increase exercise and physical activity gradually for the most significant effect on quality of life.
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Cost of Pancreatic Transplant in India
In India, a pancreatic transplant can cost anywhere between $20,000 and $30,000. The type of pancreatic transplant, the patient's condition, and the hospital's amenities can all affect the price. If serious complications complicate the surgical procedure, the cost may also change.
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Indications of Pancreatic Transplant:
Considerations for a possible pancreatic transplant depend on a patient meeting the following indications or conditions:
- Poor or difficult control of glucose levels with optimal doses of insulin therapy due to type 1 diabetes mellitus.
- Recurrent or severe hypoglycemic incidents and inability to identify hypoglycemic episodes.
- Labil diabetes with significant and unpredictable swings in blood glucose.
- End stage renal disease / kidney failure requiring transplant with pancreatic dysfunction.
- Recurrent or chronic pancreatitis that is painful or complicated.
- Pancreatic cancer and limited metastatic burden with consideration of pancreas-kidney transplantation.
- Acute or chronic trauma resulting in a non-functioning pancreas.
- Congenital pancreatic disease.
- Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus complicated by diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neuropathy, or diabetic nephropathy.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis with recurrent or multiple hospitalization for issues related to unstable glycemic levels.
- Recurrent or severe life-threatening hypoglycemic episodes or significant loss of quality of life secondary to repeated hypoglycemic events.
- Loss of quality of life due to burden of type 1 diabetes regimen.
- Islet cells are failing or dysfunctional despite intensive insulin management.
- Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency leading to severe malabsorption with significant weight loss.
Risk Factors:
Surgical Risks
The procedure of pancreatic transplant is complex and may lead to the leakage of blood vessels, infections, or blood clot formation which may require further medical or surgical management.
Organ Rejection
Occasionally, the body's natural defense function will recognize the transplanted lung tissue as an antigen, and eventually, the body will fight against that new donor transplanted lung tissue. While we can take immunosuppressive medications to prevent this issue, there are still opportunities for organ rejection.
Infection
Immunity is decreased due to pancreatitis, resulting in a two-fold increase in the chance of viral, fungal, and bacterial infections that may damage the transplanted pancreas and other organs.
Complications Following Surgery
Some patients undergoing a pancreatic transplant may experience post-operative complications such as ongoing rejection of the new pancreas, the recurrence of the previous pancreatic disease, or complications of a non-pancreatic disease.
Cardiovascular Complications
The risk of heart disease, hypertension, and vascular narrowing has been shown to increase in patients undergoing pancreas transplants.
Pre-existing Condition
Patients with a pre-existing condition, like diabetes or kidney disease, may experience complications or possibly the recurrence of those diseases after the transplant.
Anti-Rejection Medication Side Effects
You will be taking medications for the rest of your life after a pancreas transplant in order to minimize the chance of your body rejecting the donor pancreas. The side effects of these anti-rejection medications include:
- Thin bones
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting
- Sensitivity to sunlight
Other possible side effects include:
- Swollen belly
- Weight gain
- Swollen gums
- Acne
- Excess hair growth or hair loss
These anti-rejection drugs act to suppress your immune system. In addition, the medications will also make it more difficult for your body to fight infections and diseases.