100th Pancreas Transplant

A man of 43 has become the 100th person to have a pancreas transplant operation in the UK

November 23, 2005

The patient, who suffered from type 1 diabetes, received a new kidney and pancreas in the operation at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Addenbrooke's was the first hospital to attempt a pancreas transplant in 1979.

The pancreas is the organ that contains insulin-secreting cells and its loss causes type 1 diabetes.

The government announced plans two years ago to step up the rate of pancreas operations as the procedure became established and proven to be succesful.

By 2009 some 150 pancreas operations a year will be performed, according to NHS targets.

People with diabetes now comprise about ten per cent of those receiving kidney or pancreas transplants in Britain.

Dr Chris Rudge, medical director of NHS UK Transplant, said: "This is fantastic news for pancreatic transplantation in the UK and shows that we are well on track to achieve the goal of 150 pancreas transplants in a year by 2009 -- if not before.

"A combined kidney and pancreas transplant means that for some people not only will dialysis be a thing of the past but the underlying cause will also be cured. It is now a well-established procedure that offers these real benefits to appropriate recipients."

This article posted December 18, 2005.

100th Pancreas Transplant

A man of 43 has become the 100th person to have a pancreas transplant operation in the UK

Transplant News