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Pancreas transplant Description:
Pancreas transplants are not very common in the U.S. (about 150 cases per year)and may be done at the same time as a kidney transplant in diabetic patients. The operation is technically more difficult than a kidney or heart transplant . The healthy pancreas is obtained from a donor who has suffered brain-death but remains on life-support. The healthy pancreas is transported in a cooled saline solution that preserves the organ for up to 12 hours, permitting the necessary analyses to determine blood and tissue donor-recipient matching.
The diseased pancreas and the duodenum are removed through an incision in the upper abdomen. The donor pancreas and duodenum are inserted in place and attached to the patient's blood vessels, bile ducts, and stomach.
Indications:
Pancreas transplant may be recommended for pancreatic disease, especially insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus .
Pancreas transplant surgery is not recommended for patients who have:
What to Expect After:
Pancreas transplants give patients a chance to become independent of insulin injections. The main problem, as with other transplants, is graft rejection . Immunosuppressive drugs, which weaken the body's ability to fight infections, must be taken indefinitely. Normal activities can resume as soon as the patient feels like it after consulting with the doctor. Having children after a transplant is possible.
The major problems with all organ transplants are: - finding a donor
- fighting the rejection effect
- cost
Convalescence:
The recovery period averages 3 weeks. Move the legs often to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis . The sutures or clips are removed about one week after surgery. Resume normal activity as soon as possible after consulting with the physician. A diet will be prescribed.
Risks:
Risks for any anesthesia are: Risks for any surgery are: The body's immune system considers the transplanted organ an infection and fights it accordingly. Thus, to prevent rejection, organ transplant patients must take drugs (such as cyclosporine and
corticosteroids) that suppress the immune response of the body. The disadvantage of these drugs is that they weaken the body's natural defense against various infections.
Cost:
The costs of any surgery varies significantly between surgeons, medical facilities, and regions of the country. Patients who are younger, sicker, or need more extensive surgery will require more intensive and expensive treatment.
The approximate cost for a pancreas transplant is $170,000.
Surgery charges can be separated into five parts: 1) the surgeon's fee, 2) the anesthesiologist's fee, 3) the hospital charges, which includes nursing care and the operating room, 4) the medications, and 5) additional charges.
1. Surgeon's fee: approximately $1,000 to $2,300
2. Anesthesiologist's fee: averages $350 to $400 per hour
3. Hospital charges: basic rate averages $1,500 to $1,800 per day (more for the intensive care unit (ICU) or private rooms)
4. Medication charges: $200 to $400
5. Additional charges: assisting surgeon, treatment of complications, diagnostic procedures (such as blood or X-ray exams), medical supplies, or equipment use.
Insurance coverage for surgery expenses depends on many factors and should be explored for each individual instance.
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