Department of Surgery
Division of Solid Organ Transplantation
Procedures
Pancreas Transplant Surgery
The Transplant Process - Transplant Surgery
Guide to Pancreas Transplant |
You’ll be contacted when a pancreas (or kidney and pancreas if it’s a combined kidney-pancreas transplant) is available. If your new organ is from a living donor, both you and the donor will be in surgery at the same time. One team of surgeons will remove a section of pancreas (and a kidney, if it’s kidney-pancreas transplant) from the donor while another prepares you to receive the donated organs.
If your new organ(s) is from a person who has recently died, your surgery starts when it arrives at the hospital. The pancreas must be transplanted into the recipient within 12 to 15 hours.
A pancreas-only transplant can take from 2 to 4 hours or more; the combination kidney-pancreas transplant can take about 5 to 7 hours or more. After you’re given general anesthesia, the surgeon makes an incision in your abdomen. If you’re having a pancreas only transplant, the new pancreas can be put on your right or left side. If you’ve already had a kidney transplant, the new pancreas will be put on the side opposite the kidney. If you’re having a combined kidney-pancreas transplant, the pancreas is often placed first, on the right side; the kidney is then placed on the left. In all cases, your diseased pancreas is not removed, but left in place.
To restore blood flow to the new pancreas, it’s connected to a major artery and a major vein. The beginning of the small intestine (called the duodenum) from the donor pancreas is connected to your intestine or bladder.
If you’re also having a kidney transplant, the artery and vein of the new kidney will be connected to your own artery and vein. Your blood will then flow through the new kidney. The ureter from the new kidney will be connected to your bladder.
A Note on Deceased Organ Procurement
When a deceased organ becomes available, a team of surgeons and anesthesiologists removes it from the donor. Although the donor is brain dead, this procedure is treated like any other operation using standard surgical practices and sterile techniques. When the operation is complete and the incisions are closed, the donor's body is prepared for funeral or cremation. Organ procurement surgery respects the body and an open casket funeral is possible if desired.