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. Because the pancreas is a vital organ, performing functions necessary in the digestion process, the recipient's native pancreas is left in place, and the donated pancreas is attached in a different location. In the event of rejection of the new pancreas which would quickly cause life-threatening diabetes, the recipient could not survive without the native pancreas still in place. The healthy pancreas comes from a donor who has just died or it may be a partial pancreas from a living donor. At present, pancreas transplants are usually performed in persons with insulin-dependent diabetes, who can develop severe complications. Patients with pancreatic cancer are not eligible for valuable pancreatic transplantations, since the condition has a very high mortality rate and the disease, being highly malignant, could and probably would soon return.
Read more about Pancreas Transplantation: Types, Indications, Preservation Until Implantation, Complications, Prognosis, History
Famous quotes containing the word pancreas:
“We dont invent our natures. Theyre issued to us along with our lungs, our pancreas and everything else.”
—Michael Mann, U.S. screenwriter. Hannibal Lechtor (Brian Cox)