Pancreas & Pancreas-Kidney Transplant

What is a Pancreas & Pancreas-Kidney Transplant?

In a pancreas transplant, the healthy donor pancreas usually comes from someone who has recently died but did not have injury to the pancreas.

However, a segment of pancreas can be taken from a living organ donor who may be a family member or friend.

Diabetes is a main reason for pancreas transplants, and patients may also need a kidney transplant. There are three types of pancreas transplants:

Pancreas-only transplant: For people who have a kidney that works. About 85% of people who have this procedure stay insulin-free one year after surgery.
Pancreas-only transplant after a kidney transplant: For people who have already had a kidney transplant. About 70% of people who have this procedure stay insulin-free one year after surgery.
Combined kidney-pancreas transplant: For people who need both a pancreas and a kidney. About 60% of people who have this procedure stay insulin-free one year after surgery.

A pancreas transplanted along with a kidney is less likely to fail than a pancreas transplanted alone. That’s why the combination kidney-pancreas transplant is the most common type of pancreas transplant. A pancreas-only transplant is the least common of the three types.

Video: UR Medicine’s Strong Memorial Hospital offers comprehensive transplant care for adults and children.

UR Medicine's Approach

It takes a team to perform a transplant. We have a team of expert surgeons from all over the world. As a United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) transplant center for adult and pediatric transplant surgery, Strong Memorial Hospital reports all data to UNOS. You can see the excellent outcomes of our transplantation program by visiting the following websites:

The University of Rochester founded the biopsychosocial model, which treats the whole patient rather than just disease. We consider all your life circumstances, personalizing your treatment based on what’s best for you. This includes providing a transplant psychiatrist and social worker who look after your mental and emotional health.

Our experienced providers work together to get the best results for our patients. Our surgeons and physician care for you, as well as your family. They build a relationship with you, and truly care about you as a person.

What Sets Us Apart?

We are pioneers in transplantation in Upstate New York. UR Medicine has the only heart transplant program, the only liver transplant program, and the only live-donor liver transplant program in Upstate New York. And our outcomes are among the best in the nation.

We aim to make this process as simple and stress-free as possible for patients and their families. For patients traveling from out of town, we have partnerships with local organizations that provide your family with affordable places to stay, such as the Hope Lodge and Harbor House.