What is a siumultaneous kidney-pancreas transplant (SKP)?
A kidney-pancreas transplant is an operation to place both a kidney and a pancreas – at the same time – into someone who has kidney failure related to type 1 diabetes. In many cases, both transplanted organs may come from the one deceased donor. However, it is also possible for the kidney to come from a living donor (a family member or friend) and the pancreas from a deceased donor. This type of transplant treats both kidney failure and diabetes because the new organs replace the function of the failed kidney and the pancreas. The first successful kidney-pancreas transplant in the U.S.A. took place in 1966. Since then, more of these operations are occurring each year. In 2008, more than 800 were done at transplant centers in the United States.
