Our Adult and Pediatric Kidney-Pancreas and Pancreas Transplant Program
If complications from diabetes have resulted in pancreas or kidney failure, these complex surgeries can save your life.
A kidney-pancreas transplant is a surgery performed to replace both a kidney and a pancreas simultaneously in people with kidney failure and type 1 diabetes. Most patients who need a new pancreas will undergo a kidney-pancreas transplant at the same time. Usually, both organs come from the same donor and can be transplanted in one procedure.
However, if you have a functioning kidney—either your own or from a prior transplant—you may benefit from a pancreas-only procedure called a pancreas after kidney transplant. You might also be able to receive a kidney from a living organ donor and a pancreas from a deceased organ donor.
In addition to being a potentially life-saving procedure, a kidney-pancreas transplant can significantly improve your quality of life. Eventually, you may not need to take insulin, and other complications from diabetes, such as slow wound healing or digestive problems, may stabilize or even reverse.
Our kidney-pancreas transplant team at the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI) has decades of experience in these complex, life-saving procedures. In fact, in 2023 we were the top center in Florida and the number two center in the U.S. for kidney-pancreas transplants. If you are facing difficult decisions due to diabetes kidney disease, you can trust our team to provide the best possible transplant care.
Description
A kidney-pancreas transplant is a surgery performed to replace both a kidney and a pancreas simultaneously in people with kidney failure and type 1 diabetes. Most patients who need a new pancreas will undergo a kidney-pancreas transplant at the same time. Usually, both organs come from the same donor and can be transplanted in one procedure.
However, if you have a functioning kidney—either your own or from a prior transplant—you may benefit from a pancreas-only procedure called a pancreas after kidney transplant. You might also be able to receive a kidney from a living organ donor and a pancreas from a deceased organ donor.
In addition to being a potentially life-saving procedure, a kidney-pancreas transplant can significantly improve your quality of life. Eventually, you may not need to take insulin, and other complications from diabetes, such as slow wound healing or digestive problems, may stabilize or even reverse.
Our kidney-pancreas transplant team at the Miami Transplant Institute (MTI) has decades of experience in these complex, life-saving procedures. In fact, in 2023 we were the top center in Florida and the number two center in the U.S. for kidney-pancreas transplants. If you are facing difficult decisions due to diabetes kidney disease, you can trust our team to provide the best possible transplant care.
A Recognized Kidney-Pancreas and Pancreas Transplant Leader
#2
Kidney-pancreas transplant program in the U.S.—giving our physicians deep experience in these complex procedures
Survival rates
One of the only kidney-pancreas transplant programs across the U.S. with 10-year survival data.
Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Frequently Asked Questions
What is the goal of a pancreas and kidney transplant?
The main goal of a kidney-pancreas transplant is to improve both the quality and length of your life. A combined kidney and pancreas transplant offers freedom from dialysis and insulin injections.
Why would someone need a combined kidney and pancreas transplantation?
If you are an adult whose diabetes has resulted in end-stage kidney disease, you may benefit from a kidney-pancreas transplant or the separate transplantation of both organs. A donor kidney will allow your body to filter waste from the blood, while a donor pancreas will produce insulin, thereby improving your health and reducing the long-term complications of diabetes.
Where will my new kidney and pancreas come from?
In many cases, both the kidney and pancreas transplanted organs may come from a recently deceased donor. However, it is also possible for the kidney to come from a living donor, such as a family member or friend, while the pancreas will come from a separate recently deceased donor.
How long do kidney and pancreas transplants last?
On average, a transplanted pancreas can last for between 10 and 12 years while a transplanted kidney can last for 10 to 15 years. For some patients, the transplanted organs can last much longer, but for others, they may only last a short time. The length of time that the transplanted organs may last depends on the age of the donor, other medical problems that the donor may have, and many other factors.
Are pancreas transplants performed without kidney transplants?
Pancreas transplants can be performed without kidney transplants on patients who experience erratic blood sugar control (hypoglycemia) despite taking insulin, but who still have normal kidney function.
What are the different types of pancreas transplants?
There are three main types of pancreas transplantation:
Pancreas transplant alone (PTA): This procedure is for patients with type 1 diabetes who suffer from severe, frequent hypoglycemia, but who have regular kidney function.
Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant (SPK): This procedure is performed when patients have diabetes and progressive renal failure, are on dialysis, or are close to needing dialysis. They will receive a pancreas and kidney transplant during the same operation.
Pancreas after kidney transplant (PAK): This procedure is performed if a patient has diabetes and has already received a kidney transplant that is working well. The patient will receive a pancreas transplant only.
Where are the pancreas and kidneys located?
The pancreas is located in the abdomen behind the stomach. It produces enzyme juices that help with the digestion process and also produces insulin. The kidneys are located just under the rib cage in the back, one on each side of the body. It is responsible for filtering blood and transforming the blood waste into urine.
