Q: Can you tell us about your pancreas transplant program?
Pancreas transplant is exclusively for people with type 1 diabetes who have significant kidney disease. Usually, it involves a simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant from the same deceased donor. Sometimes a patient will have a kidney transplant first, often from a living donor, followed by a pancreas transplant that can occur months or even years later. The goal is to eliminate the kidney disease or failure while providing an internal source of self-regulating insulin, which also eliminates the diabetes. There aren’t many centers of any size doing these transplants because these are very difficult cases, but because of our years of experience and expertise we can help these patients.
Q: What does life after a kidney transplant look like?
You can live a normal life – work, play, travel, do all the things you enjoy – without being tied to a kidney dialysis machine. As with any surgery, there is potential for some risk, however, generally speaking, you will live longer and have a better quality of life than you would without the transplant. The patients who do well are those who are ready, willing and able to live a lifestyle that involves taking pills twice a day 12 hours apart and getting regular blood tests monthly the first two years, less often after that. That’s all you will need to do for a better and potentially longer life. It is covered by Medicare or any insurance you may have. If you have severe kidney disease, the sooner you get a transplant the better your life is going to be. A living donor is often the best option for most patients.