Evolution of Pancreas Transplantation At A Single Institution-50+ Years and 2500 Transplants.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the evolution of pancreas transplantation, including improved outcomes and factors associated with improved outcomes over the past 5 decades. BACKGROUND: The 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. METHODS: A 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. RESULTS: All 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. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreas 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.

Dual living donor organ transplants.

INTRODUCTION: Dual organ donation and transplantation from living donors (LDs) is a rare practice. Dual organ transplants can be done from the same LD or from different LDs and either simultaneously or sequentially. Simultaneous dual organ transplants from the same LD are of considerable concern due to the magnitude of the donor procedure. METHODS AND RESULTS: According to the UNOS/OPTN and IPTR databases, the US experience of LD dual organ transplants from 1981 to 2021 comprised 101 simultaneous or sequential dual organ transplants from the same LD and 111 transplants from different LDs for a total of 212 LD dual transplants. The first simultaneous or sequential dual organ transplants from either the same LD or different LDs were pancreas-kidney transplants (n = 92). Four additional LD organ transplant combinations have been performed in the United States: liver-kidney (n = 93), lung-kidney (n = 16), liver-intestine (n = 9), and intestine-kidney (n = 2). Only for dual pancreas-kidney (n = 49) and liver-intestinal transplants (n = 4), organs from the same LD have been procured simultaneously. Importantly, no donor deaths have been reported after any simultaneous or sequential procurement. LD dual organ outcomes in all recipient categories have been excellent. CONCLUSIONS: LD dual organ donation and transplantation is safe and successful. Any potential dual organ LD candidate must be subject to the highest level of evaluation scrutiny. A (dual) organ donor registry is warranted for long-term follow-up.

User-Centered Mobile Applications for Stroke Survivors (MAPPS): A Mixed-Methods Study of Patient Preferences.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate stroke survivors' (SS) preferences for a hypothetical mHealth app for post-stroke care and to study the influence of demographic variables on these preferences. DESIGN: Mixed-methods, sequential, observational study. SETTING: Focus groups (phase 1) were conducted to identify SS perceptions and knowledge of mHealth applications (apps). Using grounded theory approach, recurring themes were identified. A multiple-choice questionnaire of 5 desired app features was generated using these themes and mailed to SS (national survey, phase 2). SS' demographics and perceived usefulness (yes/no) for each feature were recorded. In-person usability testing (phase 3) was conducted to identify areas of improvement in user interfaces of existing apps. Summative telephone interviews (phase 4) were conducted for final impressions supplementary to national survey. PARTICIPANTS: SS aged >18 years recruited from study hospital, national stroke association database, stroke support and advocacy groups. Non-English speakers and those unable to communicate were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Percentage of SS (phase 2) identifying proposed app features to be useful. (2) Influence of age, sex, race, education, and time since stroke on perceived usefulness. RESULTS: Ninety-six SS participated in focus groups. High cost, complexity, and lack of technical support were identified as barriers to adoption of mHealth apps. In the national survey (n=1194), ability to track fitness and diet (84%) and communication (70%) were the most and least useful features, respectively. Perceived usefulness was higher among younger SS (P<.001 to .006) and SS of color (African American and Hispanic) (ORs 1.73-4.41). Simple design and accommodation for neurologic deficits were main recommendations from usability testing. CONCLUSIONS: SS are willing to adopt mHealth apps that are free of cost and provide technical support. Apps for SS should perform multiple tasks and be of simple design. Greater interest for the app's features among SS of color may provide opportunities to address health inequities.

First World Consensus Conference on pancreas transplantation: Part II - recommendations.

The First World Consensus Conference on Pancreas Transplantation provided 49 jury deliberations regarding the impact of pancreas transplantation on the treatment of diabetic patients, and 110 experts' recommendations for the practice of pancreas transplantation. The main message from this consensus conference is that both simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) and pancreas transplantation alone can improve long-term patient survival, and all types of pancreas transplantation dramatically improve the quality of life of recipients. Pancreas transplantation may also improve the course of chronic complications of diabetes, depending on their severity. Therefore, the advantages of pancreas transplantation appear to clearly surpass potential disadvantages. Pancreas after kidney transplantation increases the risk of mortality only in the early period after transplantation, but is associated with improved life expectancy thereafter. Additionally, preemptive SPK, when compared to SPK performed in patients undergoing dialysis, appears to be associated with improved outcomes. Time on dialysis has negative prognostic implications in SPK recipients. Increased long-term survival, improvement in the course of diabetic complications, and amelioration of quality of life justify preferential allocation of kidney grafts to SPK recipients. Audience discussions and live voting are available online at the following URL address: http://mediaeventi.unipi.it/category/1st-world-consensus-conference-of-pancreas-transplantation/246.

Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation-Is It a Treatment Option for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus? An Analysis of the International Pancreas Transplant Registry.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pancreas transplantation remains the best long-term treatment option to achieve euglycemia and freedom from insulin in patients with labile diabetes mellitus. It is an approved procedure for type 1 (T1DM), but it is still considered controversial for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). RECENT FINDINGS: This study analyzed all primary deceased donor pancreas transplants in patients with T2DM reported to IPTR/UNOS between 1995 and 2015. Characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors over time were determined using univariate and multivariate methods. The focus was on simultaneous pancreas/kidney (SPK) transplants, the most common pancreas transplant category. Patient, pancreas, and kidney graft survival rates increased significantly over time and reached 95.8, 83.3, and 91.1%, respectively, at 3 years posttransplant for transplants performed between 2009 and 2015. SPK is a safe procedure with excellent pancreas and kidney graft outcome in patients with T2DM. The procedure restores euglycemia and freedom from insulin and dialysis. Based on our results, SPK should be offered to more uremic patients with labile T2DM.

Preoperative Patient-Recorded Outcome Measures Predict Patient Discharge Location Following Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Advantages of unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) over total knee arthroplasty include rapid recovery and shorter lengths of stay following surgery. Patients requiring extended postoperative care fail to recognize these benefits. Patient-reported outcome measures have proved useful in predicting outcomes following joint arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to identify and report preoperative patient-reported outcome measures and clinical variables that predict discharge to skilled nursing facilities following UKA. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 174 patients was used to collect 36-Item Short Form scores and objective clinical data. Univariate and multivariate analysis with backward elimination were conducted to find a predictive risk model. RESULTS: The predictive model reported (78.7% concordance, receiver operating characteristic curve c-statistic 0.719, P = .0016) demonstrates that risk factors for discharge to skilled nursing facilities are: older age (odds ratio 4.18; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.256-13.911, P = .019), bilateral UKA procedures (odds ratio 1.887; 95% CI 1.054-3.378, P = .0326) and lower patient-reported preoperative 36-Item Short Form physical function scores (odds ratio 0.968; CI 0.938-1, P = .0488). CONCLUSION: The information presented here regarding possible patient disposition following UKA could aid informed decision-making regarding patients' short-term needs following surgery and help streamline preoperative planning.

Long-term outcome after pancreas transplantation: a registry analysis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pancreas transplantation provides the only proven method to restore long-term normoglycemia in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Although many studies describe the most important risk factors for short-term survival of a pancreas transplant, more information about factors that distinguish short-term from long-term graft function is needed. RECENT FINDINGS: Analysis of 21 328 pancreas transplants from the International Pancreas Transplant Registry, performed from 1984 to 2009 (minimum 5-year follow-up), shows a significant improvement in long-term patient survival and pancreas graft function. Total 5-and 10-year pancreas graft function rates are 73 and 56%, respectively, for simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants; 64 and 38%, respectively, for pancreas after kidney; and 53 and 36%, respectively, for pancreas transplants alone. The most influential period is the first year posttransplant. Recipients who reach this time point with a functioning graft have a much higher probability for excellent long-term graft function. Important factors influencing long-term function were features that described the quality of the deceased donor. Pancreas transplants in younger, high panel reactive antibody, or African-American recipients also showed an increased risk of early graft failure. Anti-T-cell induction therapy had a significant impact on long-term survival in solitary transplants. SUMMARY: With careful recipient and donor selection and close follow-up in the first year posttransplant, not only good short-term but also long-term pancreas graft function and, therefore, durable metabolic control can be achieved for the diabetic patient.

Pancreas transplantation: a decade of decline.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In the past decade, the annual number of pancreas transplants performed in the United States has steadily declined. The purpose of this review is to discuss the multifactorial nature of this decline. RECENT FINDINGS: In 2014, only 954 pancreas transplants were performed in the United States. From 2004 to 2011, the annual number of simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants in the United States declined by 10%, whereas the corresponding annual decreases in pancreas after kidney and pancreas transplants alone were 55 and 34%, respectively. Paradoxically, this drop-off has occurred in the setting of improvements in graft and patient survival and transplanting higher risk patients. This national trend in decreasing numbers of pancreas transplants is related to a number of factors, including lack of a primary referral source, lack of acceptance by the diabetes care community, improvements in diabetes care and management, changing donor and recipient considerations, inadequate training opportunities, and increasing risk aversion because of regulatory scrutiny. SUMMARY: Given that the incidence of end-stage renal disease secondary to diabetes remains high, a national initiative is needed to 're-invigorate' either simultaneous pancreas kidney or pancreas after kidney as preferred transplant options for appropriately selected uremic patients taking insulin irrespective of C-peptide levels or 'type' of diabetes. Moreover, many patients may benefit from pancreas transplants alone as well because all categories of pancreas transplantation are not only life-enhancing but life-extending procedures.

Geographic inequity results in disparate mortality: a multivariate intent-to-treat analysis of liver transplant data.

CONTEXT: The distribution of livers to listed transplant candidates shows substantial geographic inequity. OBJECTIVE: To compare mortality between the 11 UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing) regions from the time of listing and to show that the geographic region impacts survival. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: We studied the data of 1930 adults listed with a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score of 18 for a liver transplant from March 1, 2002 through December 31, 2007. We calculated one- and three-yr survival rates and performed multivariate Cox regression analysis to determine significant risk factors for mortality. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient survival from the time of listing for transplantation. RESULTS: Actual one-yr mortality rate from the time of listing ranged from 30.5% (Region 2) to 12.9% (Region 4). The three-yr mortality rate ranged from 42.0% (Region 2) to 21.6% (Region 4). Multivariate analysis showed a significant increase in mortality in Region 2 (odds ratio [OR], 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 1.83) and a significant decrease in mortality in Region 3 (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.93). CONCLUSIONS: We found significant differences in one- and three-yr mortality rates among UNOS regions. Regional disparities significantly affect patient survival and result in national inequality.

Early liver retransplantation in adults.

Up to 23% of liver allografts fail post-transplant. Retransplantation is only the recourse but remains controversial due to inferior outcomes. The objective of our study was to identify high-risk periods for retransplantation and then compare survival outcomes and risk factors. We performed an analysis of United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data for all adult liver recipients from 2002 through 2011. We analyzed the records of 49,288 recipients; of those, 2714 (5.5%) recipients were retransplanted. Our analysis included multivariate regression with the outcome of retransplantation. The highest retransplantation rates were within the first week (19% of all retransplantation, day 0-7), month (20%, day 8-30), and year (33%, day 31-365). Only retransplantation within the first year (day 0-365) had below standard outcomes. The most significant risk factors were as follows: within the first week, cold ischemia time >16 h [odds ratio (OR) 3.6]; within the first month, use of split allografts (OR 2.9); and within the first year, use of a liver donated after cardiac death (OR 4.9). Each of the three high-risk periods within the first year had distinct causes of graft failure, risk factors for retransplantation, and survival rates after retransplantation.

The Centennial Allograft: Cumulative Kidney and Liver Function for More Than 100 Years.

The maximum cumulative life span of kidneys and livers first in donors and then in transplant recipients has not been established. The purpose of this study was to determine if cumulative organ function for more than 90 years is possible for transplanted kidneys and livers. This study included kidney and liver transplants from living or deceased donors ≥55 years. Cumulative organ function (COF) = Organ Age at Donation [Years] + Tx Allograft Function [Years]. Univariate and multivariable methods were used to describe characteristics and outcomes. Between 1987 and 2022, a total of 81,807 kidney and 37,099 liver transplants were included in this study. Of all kidney grafts 2.7% but 16.6% of all liver grafts reached the 90-year COF mark. There were only 2 living donor kidneys that surpassed the 100-year mark versus 29 deceased liver grafts. The longest kidney function was 104 years and longest liver function 108 years. Multivariate analysis showed that optimal donor and recipient selection and management are predictors for allograft longevity. COF in organs exceeding 100 physiologic years is possible. Extended organ longevity was 5 times more common for livers than kidneys. These analyses support that age alone should not exclude older kidney and liver donors from consideration for transplantation.

Medical and Surgical Management of the Failed Pancreas Transplant.

Despite the continued improvements in pancreas transplant outcomes in recent decades, a subset of recipients experience graft failure and can experience substantial morbidity and mortality. Here, we summarize what is known about the failed pancreas allograft and what factors are important for consideration of retransplantation. The current definition of pancreas allograft failure and its challenges for the transplant community are explored. The impacts of a failed pancreas allograft are presented, including patient survival and resultant morbidities. The signs, symptoms, and medical and surgical management of a failed pancreas allograft are described, whereas the options and consequences of immunosuppression withdrawal are reviewed. Medical and surgical factors necessary for successful retransplant candidacy are detailed with emphasis on how well-selected patients may achieve excellent retransplant outcomes. To achieve substantial medical mitigation and even pancreas retransplantation, patients with a failed pancreas allograft warrant special attention to their residual renal, cardiovascular, and pulmonary function. Future studies of the failed pancreas allograft will require improved reporting of graft failure from transplant centers and continued investigation from experienced centers.

Preliminary results of the initial United States experience with the Supera woven nitinol stent in the popliteal artery.

BACKGROUND: Popliteal artery stenting is not routinely performed due to concerns related to the high mobility of the knee joint and the potential for external stent compression, fractures, and occlusion. Open bypass is traditionally considered the gold standard for popliteal artery atherosclerotic lesions. The Supera stent (IDEV Technologies Inc, Webster, Tex) was developed to provide superior radial strength, fracture resistance, and flexibility compared with laser-cut nitinol stents. This study represents the initial United States experience in the management of popliteal artery atherosclerotic disease with the Supera interwoven wire stent. METHODS: Patients undergoing stent implantation in the 20-month period after the 2008 Food and Drug Administration clearance were included. Medical records, radiographic imaging, and procedural data were examined. Procedural angiograms were classified according to Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus criteria. Patency and limb loss rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: A total of 39 stents were placed in 34 patients due to isolated popliteal artery occlusive disease. Clinical follow-up was a mean of 12.7 months (range, 0.2-33.7 months), and radiologic follow-up was a mean of 8.4 months (range, 0-26.8 months). Most patients had critical limb ischemia (CLI), with tissue loss (38.2%) or rest pain (35.3%) as the indication for intervention. In 20 patients (58.8%), the most distal end of the stent(s) landed in the below-the-knee popliteal segment, 12 (35.3%) landed in the above-the-knee segment, and two (5.9%) landed precisely at the knee. Other than angioplasty and stenting, 47% of patients did not receive any adjuvant concomitant therapy in the treated leg. Two patients underwent concomitant atherectomy of the popliteal segment. Primary, primary assisted, and secondary patency rates by duplex ultrasound imaging were 79.2%, 88.1% and 93%, respectively, by Kaplan-Meier estimates, with a mean stented length of 12 cm. Six instances of stent occlusion were noted, and six patients were identified with hemodynamically significant in-stent stenosis. Three patients sustained limb loss (8.8%), two related to uncontrolled infections, and one due to perioperative ischemic complications (both with patent stents at the time of limb loss). The overall mortality was 8.8% during the study period. Knee roentgenography was performed in all but one patient, and no stent fractures were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Stenting of the popliteal artery using the Supera stent system appears to be safe and effective. The interwoven stent design may better serve areas under extreme mechanical stress. Our results with this highly diseased patient population justify a prospective trial in this subject.

A critical analysis of early death after adult liver transplants.

INTRODUCTION: The 15% mortality rate of liver transplant recipients at one yr may be viewed as a feat in comparison with the waiting list mortality, yet it nonetheless leaves room for much improvement. Our aim was to critically examine the mortality rates to identify high-risk periods and to incorporate cause of death into the analysis of post-transplant survival. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis on United Network for Organ Sharing data for all adult recipients of liver transplants from January 1, 2002 to October 31, 2011. Our analysis included multivariate logistic regression where the primary outcome measure was patient death of 49,288 recipients. RESULTS: The highest mortality rate by day post-transplant was on day 0 (0.9%). The most significant risk factors were as follows: for one-d mortality from technical failure, intensive care unit admission odds ratio (OR 3.2); for one-d mortality from graft failure, warm ischemia >75 min (OR 5.6); for one-month mortality from infection, a previous transplant (OR 3.3); and for one-month mortality from graft failure, a previous transplant (OR 3.7). CONCLUSION: We found that the highest mortality rate after liver transplantation is within the first day and the first month post-transplant. Those two high-risk periods have common, as well as different, risk factors for mortality.

Pancreas Transplantation: Current Challenges, Considerations, and Controversies.

Pancreas transplantation (PTx) reestablishes an autoregulating source of endogenous insulin responsive to normal feedback controls. In addition to achieving complete ß-cell replacement that frees the patient with diabetes from the need to monitor serum glucose and administer exogenous insulin, successful PTx provides counterregulatory hormone secretion and exocrine function. A functioning PTx mitigates glycemic variability, eliminates the daily stigma and burden of diabetes, restores normal glucose homeostasis in patients with complicated diabetes, and improves quality of life and life expectancy. The tradeoff is that it entails a major surgical procedure and requisite long-term immunosuppression. Despite the high likelihood of rendering patients euglycemic independent of exogenous insulin, PTx is considered a treatment rather than a cure. In spite of steadily improving outcomes in each successive era coupled with expansion of recipient selection criteria to include patients with a type 2 diabetes phenotype, a decline in PTx activity has occurred in the new millennium related to a number of factors including: (1) lack of a primary referral source and general acceptance by the diabetes care community; (2) absence of consensus criteria; and (3) access, education, and resource issues within the transplant community. In the author's experience, patients who present as potential candidates for PTx have felt as though they needed to circumvent the conventional diabetes care model to gain access to transplant options. PTx should be featured more prominently in the management algorithms for patients with insulin requiring diabetes who are failing exogenous insulin therapy or experiencing progressive diabetic complications regardless of diabetes type. Furthermore, all patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease should undergo consideration for simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation independent of geography or location.

The natural history of duplex-detected stenosis after femoropopliteal endovascular therapy suggests questionable clinical utility of routine duplex surveillance.

OBJECTIVE: Duplex ultrasound (DU) surveillance (DUS) criteria for vein graft stenosis and thresholds for reintervention are well established. The natural history of DU-detected stenosis and the threshold criteria for reintervention in patients undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT) of the femoropopliteal system have yet to be determined. We report an analysis of routine DUS after infrainguinal EVT. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing EVT of the superficial femoral artery (SFA) or popliteal artery were prospectively enrolled in a DUS protocol (≤1 week after intervention, then at 3, 6, and 12 months thereafter). Peak systolic velocity (PSV) and velocity ratio (Vr) were used to categorize the treated artery: normal was PSV <200 cm/s and Vr <2, moderate stenosis was PSV = 200-300 cm/s or Vr = 2-3, and severe stenosis was PSV >300 cm/s or Vr >3. Reinterventions were generally performed for persistent or recurrent symptoms, allowing us to analyze the natural history of DU-detected lesions and to perform sensitivity and specificity analysis for DUS criteria predictive of failure. RESULTS: Ninety-four limbs (85 patients) underwent EVT for SFA-popliteal disease and were prospectively enrolled in a DUS protocol. The initial scans were normal in 61 limbs (65%), and serial DU results remained normal in 38 (62%). In 17 limbs (28%), progressive stenoses were detected during surveillance. The rate of thrombosis in this subgroup was 10%. Moderate stenoses were detected in 28 (30%) limbs at initial scans; of these, 39% resolved or stabilized, 47% progressed to severe, and occlusions developed in 14%. Five (5%) limbs harbored severe stenoses on initial scans, and 80% of lesions resolved or stabilized. Progression to occlusion occurred in one limb (20%). The last DUS showed 25 limbs harbored severe stenoses; of these, 13 (52%) were in symptomatic patients and thus required reintervention regardless of DU findings. Eleven limbs (11%) eventually occluded. Sensitivity and specificity of DUS to predict occlusion were 88% and 60%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DUS does not reliably predict arterial occlusion after EVT. Stenosis after EVT appears to have a different natural history than restenosis after vein graft bypass. EVT patients are more likely to have severe stenosis when they present with recurrent symptoms, in contrast to vein graft patients, who commonly have occluded grafts when they present with recurrent symptoms. The potential impact of routine DU-directed reintervention in patients after EVT is questionable. The natural history of DU-detected stenosis after femoropopliteal endovascular therapy suggests questionable clinical utility of routine DUS.

Isolated intestinal transplants vs. liver-intestinal transplants in adult patients in the United States: 22 yr of OPTN data.

We examined the outcomes of adult intestinal transplants (ITx); isolated ITx vs. liver-intestinal transplants (L-ITx) were compared using the UNOS database (1987-2009). Of 759 ITx transplants in 687 patients, 463 (61%) were isolated and 296 (39%) were L-ITx. Patient survival for primary isolated ITx at one, three, and five yr was 84%, 66.7%, and 54.2%; and primary L-ITx was, 67%, 53.3%, and 46% (p = 0.0005). Primary isolated ITx graft survival at one, three, and five yr was 80.7%, 57.6%, 42.8%; primary L-ITx was 64.1%, 51%, 44.1% (p = 0.0003 at one, three yr, Wilcoxon test). For retransplants (n = 72), patient and graft survival for isolated ITx (n = 41) at five yr was 40% in era 1 (1987-2000) and 16% in era 2 (p = 0.47); for retransplanted L-ITx (n = 31), it improved from 14% to 64% in era 2 (p = 0.01). Cox regression: creatinine >1.3 mg/dL and pre-transplant hospitalization were negative predictors for outcome of both; bilirubin >1.3 mg/dL was a negative predictor for isolated ITx and donor age >40 yr for L-ITx. Isolated ITx should be considered prior to liver disease for adults with intestinal failure; L-ITx is preferable for retransplantation.

Long-term outcome after pancreas transplantation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pancreas transplantation provides the only proven method to restore long-term normoglycemia in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Although many studies describe the very important risk factors for short-term survival of a pancreas transplant, there is not a lot of information available about factors that distinguish short-term from long-term graft function. RECENT FINDINGS: The analysis of 18,159 pancreas transplants from the International Pancreas Transplant Registry, performed from 25 July 1978 to 31 December 2005, showed an improvement not only in short-term but also in long-term graft function. Most recent 5-year, 10-year and 20-year graft function for transplants with the appropriate follow-up time showed 80, 68 and 45%, respectively, for simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplants; 62, 46 and 16%, respectively, for pancreas after kidney; and 59, 39 and 12%, respectively, for pancreas transplants alone. Important factors influencing long-term function were factors that described the quality of the deceased donor. Pancreas transplants in younger or African-American recipients showed a higher risk of graft failure. Anti-T-cell induction therapy had a significant impact on long-term survival in solitary transplants. SUMMARY: With a careful donor selection, not only short-term but also long-term pancreas graft function and, therefore, good metabolic control can be achieved for the diabetic patient.

The 2022 International Pancreas Transplant Registry Report-A Review.

Over the last decades, the number of pancreas transplants has increased all over the world. Since the first pancreas transplant in 1966, patient and graft survival after simultaneous pancreas and kidney as well as after solitary pancreas transplantation have improved significantly. Patient survival at 1 year is >96% in all 3 recipient categories and pancreas graft survival is >90% for simultaneous pancreas and kidney and >86% for solitary transplants. For transplants performed between 2001 and 2010, with >10 years' follow-up time, the half-life (50% graft function) was 13 years for simultaneous pancreas and kidney, almost 10 years for a pancreas after kidney transplant, and >6 years for a pancreas transplant alone. These excellent results are even more astonishing because more high-risk patients were transplanted. The main reasons for improvement in outcome were reductions in technical failures and immunologic graft losses. These decreases were due to better patient and donor selection, standardization of surgical techniques, and superior immunosuppressive protocols.

Long-term outcome in 42 pediatric liver transplant patients with alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency: a single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: We examined the long-term outcome of transplantation for alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD). METHOD: Data were reviewed on 42 transplants in 35 children with A1ATD over 42 yr and compared with 129 transplants in 116 children with biliary atresia (BA). RESULTS: Over 50% of patients were followed up for >10 yr. A1ATD were older than BA at transplantation, median age, 6.0 vs. 1.0 yr (p < 0.0001), and transplanted earlier in the course of liver failure (total bilirubin, 2.7 mg/dL [1.4-6.9] vs. 9.7 mg/dL [2.9-15.4], p = 0.005). Patient survival was greater in A1ATD than BA: one-yr post-transplant, 82.7% vs. 67.9%; five yr, 76.5% vs. 60.2%; and 10 yr, 76.5% vs. 55.9% (p = 0.03). Death-censored graft survival was similar: one-yr post-transplant, 68.4% vs. 66.2%; five yr, 68.4% vs. 55.8%; and 10 yr, 68.4% vs. 52.5% (p = 0.2). Deaths were from infection, hemorrhage, and graft failure <6 months post-transplant. Patient survival improved at five yr from 33.3% pre-cyclosporine (CSA) (1969-1984) (n = 6) to 76.5% in the CSA era (1985-1994) (n = 17) and 100% with tacrolimus (1995-2006) (n = 12) (p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The age at transplantation and the degree of liver dysfunction were related to the differences in graft and patient survival between A1AT and BA.