How successful are kidney-pancreas transplants?
Patient survival after SKP transplantation is more than 90 percent at two years. The national average for survival rates of kidney pancreas transplants is 94.1 percent still functioning well one year after the operation, and 87.1 percent at three years. The best results are usually achieved with a closely matched kidney from a living donor (usually from a sibling). Statistics show that the next best results are achieved with a kidney from a less closely matched living donor (such as a spouse or friend). The success rates are also good for combined kidney-pancreas transplants from deceased donors. The best results are usually achieved when both the pancreas and a kidney come from the same donor: a deceased donor. This is because the risk of rejection is significantly reduced. However, there have been several transplants performed using a living donor, with one kidney and a pancreas segment being donated.
