• Erik B Finger, Abraham J Matar, Ty B Dunn, Abhinav Humar, Angelika C Gruessner, GruessnerRainer W GRWGDepartment of Surgery SUNY Downstate Medical Center Brooklyn, NY., Karthik Ramanathan, Vanessa Humphreville, Arthur J Matas, SutherlandDavid E RDERDepartment of Surgery Division of Transplantation University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN., and Raja Kandaswamy.
• Department of Surgery Division of Transplantation University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN.
• Ann. Surg. 2024 Oct 1; 280 (4): 604615604-615.

ObjectiveTo describe the evolution of pancreas transplantation, including improved outcomes and factors associated with improved outcomes over the past 5 decades.BackgroundThe world's first successful pancreas transplant was performed in December 1966 at the University of Minnesota. As new modalities for diabetes treatment mature, we must carefully assess the current state of pancreas transplantation to determine its ongoing role in patient care.MethodsA single-center retrospective review of 2500 pancreas transplants was performed over >50 years in bivariate and multivariable models. Transplants were divided into 6 eras; outcomes are presented for the entire cohort and by era.ResultsAll measures of patient and graft survival improved progressively through the 6 transplant eras. The overall death-censored pancreas graft half-lives were >35 years for simultaneous pancreas and kidney (SPK), 7.1 years for pancreas after kidney (PAK), and 3.3 years for pancreas transplants alone (PTA). The 10-year death-censored pancreas graft survival rate in the most recent era was 86.9% for SPK recipients, 58.2% for PAK recipients, and 47.6% for PTA. Overall, graft loss was most influenced by patient survival in SPK transplants, whereas graft loss in PAK and PTA recipients was more often due to graft failures. Predictors of improved pancreas graft survival were primary transplants, bladder drainage of exocrine secretions, younger donor age, and shorter preservation time.ConclusionsPancreas outcomes have significantly improved over time through sequential, but overlapping, advances in surgical technique, immunosuppressive protocols, reduced preservation time, and the more recent reduction of immune-mediated graft loss.Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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