All patients who have pancreas failure and are referred to our program are thoroughly evaluated to determine whether a pancreas transplant would be the most appropriate treatment for their condition and goals.
To be considered for pancreas transplantation, a patient must have type 1 diabetes (not type 2 diabetes) and nerve damage, eye problems, or another chronic complication of the disease.
Once the care team and the patient have committed to pursuing transplantation as a treatment, a comprehensive series of screenings will be performed to determine whether the patient is indeed a suitable candidate for a new pancreas. In most cases, the entire multidisciplinary evaluation can be completed in a single day.
This thorough one-day evaluation involves the patient, their family, and our entire kidney/pancreas transplant team – surgeons, nephrologists, nurses, social workers, dietitians, and other medical professionals. In some cases, we also will consult with colleagues in endocrinology and vascular surgery. The purpose of this process is to determine whether there are any physical and/or psychosocial conditions that could affect the chances of having a successful transplant and to give the patient and their family an opportunity to learn more about our program.
The examinations we perform may include:
- Medical history
- Physical exam
- Bladder evaluation
- X-rays
- Blood tests
- Heart tests, which may include cardiac catheterization
- Dental exam
- Social worker interview
Following the examinations, our multidisciplinary team will discuss the evaluation, and, in most cases, will be able that same day to provide a recommendation as to whether transplantation is the right choice.
