What is the difference between an islet transplant and a pancreas transplant?
A pancreas transplant means the whole pancreas is transplanted, with islet cells intact. This procedure is considered part of standard medical care and has been done throughout the world for many years. The success rate for recipients being insulin-free one year after transplant is 80 to 85%; after three years it is 75 to 80%. A pancreas transplant is major surgery requiring general anesthesia and a longer recovery time. Complications from the surgery happen in about 10 to 15% of the recipients, requiring a longer hospital stay or readmission to the hospital. An islet transplant means the islets are isolated from the pancreas and then are infused into a transplant recipient. This procedure has not yet received approval from the FDA; the safety and efficacy of the procedure are currently being evaluated through research studies called clinical trials. An islet transplant is a less invasive procedure, so recipients experience shorter recovery times than pancreas transplant recipients. Pe
