What is pancreas transplantation?

Whole-pancreas transplantation involves an operation to place a pancreas, obtained from a person who has died, in your body. In the body, the new pancreas will regulate your blood-glucose levels and secrete the amount of insulin needed to keep you healthy. The new pancreas will regulate your blood-glucose levels on a continuous basis, just as your own pancreas did prior to the development of diabetes.

With Type I diabetes, only about one to two percent of your pancreas (the organ's Beta islet cells) does not function properly, causing the diabetes. The remaining 98 percent of your pancreas functions normally, and produces many digestive enzymes and hormones that your body requires. As a result, your own pancreas is not removed during the transplant.

The transplanted pancreas will secrete digestive enzymes and bicarbonate, just as your original pancreas does. These fluids are usually drained from the transplanted pancreas through a connection with the urinary bladder, or into the intestines.

Most patients who have a pancreas transplant also have a kidney transplant to reverse the damage diabetes has done to their kidneys. In this situation, your kidneys are not removed. The new kidney is placed in the pelvic region, just opposite the new pancreas. The tube that drains urine from the kidney is connected to your bladder.