Generating strategies for a national comeback in pancreas transplantation: A Delphi survey and US conference report.

In the United States, potential transplant candidates with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus are inconsistently offered pancreas transplantation (PTx), contributing to a dramatic decline in pancreas allograft utilization over the past 2 decades. The American Society of Transplantation organized a workshop to identify barriers inhibiting PTx and to develop strategies for a national comeback. The 2-day workshop focused on 4 main topics: (1) referral/candidate selection, (2) organ recovery/utilization, (3) program performance/patient outcomes, and (4) enhanced education/research. Topics were explored through expert presentations, patient testimonials, breakout sessions, and strategic planning, including the identification of tasks for immediate focus. Additionally, a modified-Delphi survey was conducted among workshop members to develop and rate the importance of barriers, and the impact and feasibility of workgroup-identified improvement strategies. The panelists identified 16 barriers to progress and 44 strategies for consideration. The steps for a national comeback in PTx involve greater emphasis on efficient referral and candidate selection, better donor pancreas utilization practices, eliminating financial barriers to procurement and transplant, improving collaboration between transplant and diabetes societies and professionals, and increasing focus on PTx training, education, and research. Partnership between national societies, patient advocacy groups, and professionals will be essential to realizing this critical agenda.

Role of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (GPOEM) in chronic gastroparesis management after pancreas transplantation.

Gastroparesis is a common complaint among patients with diabetes. Symptoms tend to improve following successful pancreas transplantation (PTx), but persist despite euglycemia in a subset of patients. We aimed to assess the benefit of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) in persistent gastroparesis following PTx. This was a single center retrospective review of all patients who underwent G-POEM for persistent gastroparesis following PTx. Patient demographics, pre and post procedure perception of symptom severity according to the patient assessment of upper gastrointestinal symptoms severity index (PAGI-SYM), gastroparesis cardinal symptom index (GCSI) score, and 36-item short form survey (SF36) score along with gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) were analyzed. Seven PTx recipients underwent G-POEM for persistent gastroparesis symptoms. The majority were female. All reported nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, and post prandial fullness prior to G-POEM. The post procedure survey scores improved in all patients although this was not significant. The improvement in gastric emptying on GES was statistically significant. G-POEM is a relatively new treatment option for gastroparesis. While it requires specialized proceduralist and training, we have documented improvement in the management of symptoms. With increasing experience, we anticipate more significant benefit in post PTx patients with persistent symptoms of gastroparesis undergoing G-POEM.

Impact of pancreas transplantation alone on kidney function: A multicenter clinical cohort study.

Pancreas transplantation alone (PTA) is a ß cell replacement option for selected patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus; concerns have been raised regarding deterioration in kidney function (KF) after PTA. This retrospective multicenter study assessed actual impact of transplantation and immunosuppression on KF in PTA recipients at three Transplant Centers. The primary composite endpoint 10 years after PTA was >50% eGFR decline, eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 , and/or receiving a kidney transplant (KT). Overall, 822 PTA recipients met eligibility. Median baseline and 10-year eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m2 ) were 76.3 (58.1-100.8) and 51.3 (35.3-65.9), respectively. Primary composite endpoint occurred in 98 patients (53.5%) with 45 experiencing a >50% decrease in eGFR by 10 years post-transplant, 38 eGFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 49 requiring KT. KF declined most significantly within 6 months post-PTA, more often in females and patients with better preserved GFR up to 5 years with 11.6% kidney failure at 10 years. Patient survival and death-censored graft survival were both 68% at 10 years with overall graft thrombosis rate 8%. KF declined initially after PTA but stabilized with further slow progression. In conclusion, prospective intervention studies are needed to test renal sparing interventions while gathering more granular data.

Impact of gut microbiota on liver transplantation.

The gut microbiota has been gaining attention due to its interactions with the human body and its role in pathophysiological processes. One of the main interactions is the "gut-liver axis," in which disruption of the gut mucosal barrier seen in portal hypertension and liver disease can influence liver allograft function over time. For example, in patients who are undergoing liver transplantation, preexisting dysbiosis, perioperative antibiotic use, surgical stress, and immunosuppressive use have each been associated with alterations in gut microbiota, potentially impacting overall morbidity and mortality. In this review, studies exploring gut microbiota changes in patients undergoing liver transplantation are reviewed, including both human and experimental animal studies. Common themes include an increase in Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae species and a decrease in Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bacteriodes, while a decrease in the overall diversity of gut microbiota after liver transplantation.

Modern indications for referral for kidney and pancreas transplantation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pancreas transplantation (PTx) is currently the only therapy that can predictably achieve sustained euglycemia independent of exogenous insulin administration in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. This procedure involves a complex abdominal operation and lifetime dependence on immunosuppressive medications. Therefore, PTx is most frequently performed in combination with other organs, usually a kidney transplant for end stage diabetic nephropathy. Less frequently, solitary PTx may be indicated in patients with potentially life-threatening complications of diabetes mellitus. There remains confusion and misperceptions regarding indications and timing of patient referral for PTx. RECENT FINDINGS: In this review, the referral, evaluation, and listing process for PTx is described, including a detailed discussion of candidate assessment, indications, contraindications, and outcomes. SUMMARY: Because the progression of diabetic kidney disease may be less predictable than other forms of kidney failure, early referral for planning of renal and/or pancreas transplantation is paramount to optimize patient care and allow for possible preemptive transplantation.

Analyzing outcomes following pancreas transplantation: Definition of a failure or failure of a definition.

Pancreas transplantation has an identity crisis and is at a crossroads. Although outcomes continue to improve in each successive era, the number of pancreas transplants performed annually in the United States has been static for several years in spite of increasing numbers of deceased donors. For most practitioners who manage diabetes, pancreas transplantation is considered an extreme measure to control diabetes. With expanded recipient selection (primarily simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation) in patients who are older, have a higher BMI, are minorities, or who have a type 2 diabetes phenotype, the controversy regarding type of diabetes detracts from the success of intervention. The absence of a clear and precise definition of pancreas graft failure, particularly one that lacks a measure of glycemic control, inhibits wider application of pancreas transplantation with respect to reporting long-term outcomes, comparing this treatment to alternative therapies, developing listing and allocation policy, and having a better understanding of the patient perspective. It has been suggested that the definition of pancreas graft failure should differ depending on the type of pretransplant diabetes. In this commentary, we discuss current challenges regarding the development of a uniform definition of pancreas graft failure and propose a potential solution to this vexing problem.

Impact of the acuity circle model for liver allocation on multivisceral transplant candidates.

Liver allocation was updated on February 4, 2020, replacing a Donor Service Area (DSA) with acuity circles (AC). The impact on waitlist outcomes for patients listed for combined liver-intestine transplantation (multivisceral transplantation [MVT]) remains unknown. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing database was used to identify all candidates listed for both liver and intestine between January 1, 2018 and March 5, 2021. Two eras were defined: pre-AC (2018-2020) and post-AC (2020-2021). Outcomes included 90-day waitlist mortality and transplant probability. A total of 127 adult and 104 pediatric MVT listings were identified. In adults, the 90-day waitlist mortality was not statistically significantly different, but transplant probability was lower post-AC. After risk-adjustment, post-AC was associated with a higher albeit not statistically significantly different mortality hazard (sub-distribution hazard ratio[sHR]: 8.45, 95% CI: 0.96-74.05; p = .054), but a significantly lower transplant probability (sHR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.15-0.75; p = .008). For pediatric patients, waitlist mortality and transplant probability were similar between eras. The proportion of patients who underwent transplant with exception points was lower post-AC both in adult (44% to 9%; p = .04) and pediatric recipients (65% to 15%; p = .002). A lower transplant probability observed in adults listed for MVT may ultimately result in increased waitlist mortality. Efforts should be taken to ensure equitable organ allocation in this vulnerable patient population.

Impact of race on pancreas transplant outcomes in the current era: It is not all Black and White.

The growth in pancreas transplant is driven in part by expansion of indications to include an increasing number of select patients with type 2 diabetes. Two papers in this month's issue of Clinical transplantation specifically investigate this association, and in parallel illustrate the complexity of defining the association of race with pancreas transplant outcomes from different perspectives and illustrate several important concepts related to health equity in organ transplantation.

Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplant after bilateral lung transplant for a recipient with cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder. Despite optimized therapy, the majority of affected individuals ultimately die of respiratory failure. Lung transplantation is the only available therapy that deals definitively with the end-stage pulmonary disease and has become the treatment of choice for some of these patients. As patients with CF are living longer, extrapulmonary manifestations may develop including pancreatic failure, which manifests as exocrine insufficiency and CF-related diabetes (CFRD). Both of these can be managed through pancreas transplantation. We have previously reported our series of three simultaneous lung and pancreas transplants in patients with CF, which were complicated by surgical issues for both the thoracic and abdominal portions, rejection and resistant infections with disappointing long-term survival. Based on these results, a sequential approach was adopted: first, the thoracic transplant; and second, once the patient has recovered, the abdominal transplants. This is the first reported case of pancreas and kidney transplantation performed after a lung transplant in a patient with CF. It demonstrates a successful approach to treating CF with a lung transplant, and in an effort to improve the patient's long-term outcome, treating CFRD and pancreatic enzyme insufficiency, with a subsequent pancreas transplant.

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.

The demise of islet allotransplantation in the United States: A call for an urgent regulatory update.

Islet allotransplantation in the United States (US) is facing an imminent demise. Despite nearly three decades of progress in the field, an archaic regulatory framework has stymied US clinical practice. Current regulations do not reflect the state-of-the-art in clinical or technical practices. In the US, islets are considered biologic drugs and "more than minimally manipulated" human cell and tissue products (HCT/Ps). In contrast, across the world, human islets are appropriately defined as "minimally manipulated tissue" and not regulated as a drug, which has led to islet allotransplantation (allo-ITx) becoming a standard-of-care procedure for selected patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. This regulatory distinction impedes patient access to islets for transplantation in the US. As a result only 11 patients underwent allo-ITx in the US between 2016 and 2019, and all as investigational procedures in the settings of a clinical trials. Herein, we describe the current regulations pertaining to islet transplantation in the United States. We explore the progress which has been made in the field and demonstrate why the regulatory framework must be updated to both better reflect our current clinical practice and to deal with upcoming challenges. We propose specific updates to current regulations which are required for the renaissance of ethical, safe, effective, and affordable allo-ITx in the United States.

CAD-LT score effectively predicts risk of significant coronary artery disease in liver transplant candidates.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with cirrhosis and significant coronary artery disease (CAD) are at risk of peri-liver transplantation (LT) cardiac events. The coronary artery disease in liver transplantation (CAD-LT) score and algorithm aim to predict the risk of significant CAD in LT candidates and guide pre-LT cardiac evaluation. METHODS: Patients who underwent pre-LT evaluation at Indiana University (2010-2019) were studied retrospectively. Stress echocardiography (SE) and cardiac catheterization (CATH) reports were reviewed. CATH was performed for predefined CAD risk factors, irrespective of normal SE. Significant CAD was defined as CAD requiring percutaneous or surgical intervention. A multivariate regression model was constructed to assess risk factors. Receiver-operating curve analysis was used to compute a point-based risk score and a stratified testing algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 1,771 pre-LT patients underwent cardiac evaluation, including results from 1,634 SE and 1,266 CATH assessments. Risk-adjusted predictors of significant CAD at CATH were older age (adjusted odds ratio 1.05; 95% CI 1.03-1.08), male sex (1.69; 1.16-2.50), diabetes (1.57; 1.12-2.22), hypertension (1.61; 1.14-2.28), tobacco use (pack years) (1.01; 1.00-1.02), family history of CAD (1.63; 1.16-2.28), and personal history of CAD (6.55; 4.33-9.90). The CAD-LT score stratified significant CAD risk as low (≤2%), intermediate (3% to 9%), and high (≥10%). Among patients who underwent CATH, a risk-based testing algorithm (low: no testing; intermediate: non-invasive testing vs. CATH; high: CATH) would have identified 97% of all significant CAD and potentially avoided unnecessary testing (669 SE [57%] and 561 CATH [44%]). CONCLUSIONS: The CAD-LT score and algorithm (available at www.cad-lt.com) effectively stratify pre-LT risk for significant CAD. This may guide more targeted testing of candidates with fewer tests and faster time to waitlist. LAY SUMMARY: The coronary artery disease in liver transplantation (CAD-LT) score and algorithm effectively stratify patients based on their risk of significant coronary artery disease. The CAD-LT algorithm can be used to guide a more targeted cardiac evaluation prior to liver transplantation.

Pancreas transplantation for cystic fibrosis: A frequently missed opportunity.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder. Despite optimized therapy, the majority of affected individuals ultimately die of respiratory failure. As patients with CF are living longer, extra-pulmonary manifestations may develop including pancreatic failure, which manifests as exocrine insufficiency, and CF-related diabetes (CFRD). Both of these can be managed through pancreas transplantation. Pancreas transplantation is usually performed in combination with another organ, most often with a kidney transplant for end-stage diabetic nephropathy. In the CF patient population, the two settings where inclusion of a pancreas transplant should be considered would be in combination with a lung transplant for CF pulmonary disease, or in combination with a liver for CF-related liver disease with cirrhosis. This report will discuss this topic in detail, including a review of the literature regarding combinations of lung/pancreas and liver/pancreas transplant.

Distal allograft pancreatectomy for graft salvage after pancreas transplantation.

Early pancreas allograft failure most commonly results from vascular thrombosis. Immediate surgical intervention may permit pancreas allograft salvage, typically requiring thrombectomy. In cases of partial allograft necrosis secondary to splenic arterial thrombosis, distal allograft pancreatectomy may allow salvage of at least half of the pancreas allograft with retention of function. We retrospectively reviewed four cases of simultaneous pancreas and kidney recipients who required distal allograft pancreatectomy for splenic artery thrombosis with necrosis of the distal pancreas. Three of the four maintained long-term allograft function with euglycemia independent of insulin at six months to six years of follow-up, and all patients continue to maintain normal renal allograft function. Early diagnosis and early intervention are essential in order to salvage the pancreas allograft in the case of thrombosis. Distal allograft pancreatectomy can be performed safely and result in excellent long-term outcomes in select patients.

Pancreas transplantation would be easy if the recipients were not diabetic: A practical guide to post-operative management of diabetic complications in pancreas transplant recipients.

Diabetes mellitus remains a major public health problem throughout the United States with over $300 billion spent in total cost of care annually. In addition to being a leading cost of kidney failure, diabetes causes a host of secondary hyperglycemic-related complications including gastroparesis and orthostatic hypotension. While pancreas transplantation has been established as an effective treatment for diabetes, providing long-term normoglycemia in recipients, the secondary complications of diabetes mellitus persist complicating the post-operative course of an otherwise successful pancreas transplantation. This review describes the mechanism and impact of diabetic gastroparesis and orthostatic hypotension in the post-operative course of pancreas transplant patients and analyzes the various treatment modalities, based on current data and extensive experience at our institution, to treat these respective complications. While gastroparesis and orthostatic hypotension remain challenging post-operative conditions, the establishment of institutional protocols and step-up treatment algorithms can help define more effective therapies.

Donor-recipient body size mismatch has no impact on outcomes after deceased donor whole liver transplantation: Role of donor liver size measurement.

The role of donor-recipient body size mismatch (DRSM) on outcomes after whole liver transplantation (LT) is not clearly defined. At our center, in presence of considerable DRSM, objective assessment of the donor liver by a radiology or intraoperative evaluation by procuring surgeon was incorporated. To evaluate the impact of DRSM on graft outcomes with this approach, adult deceased donor whole liver transplants between July 2001 and December 2017 at our center were studied. DRSM was considered when the donor-recipient body surface area (BSA) ratio (DR-BSAr) was either <0.69 or >1.25. There were 54 (3.2%) transplants with DR-BSAr <0.69 and 61 (3.6%) with DR-BSAr >1.25. One-year graft survival was 85% vs. 89% vs. 89%; (p = .64) for transplants with DR-BSArs of <0.69, 0.69-1.25, and >1.25, respectively. Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) (28% vs. 27% vs. 37%; p = .07), post-transplant coagulopathy, bilirubinemia, and renal function were also comparable. In conclusion, with the actual measurement of the donor liver and recipient abdominal cavity, significant DRSM did not have a negative impact on early and long-term outcomes. Routine measurement of donor liver size by radiology may be incorporated in liver allocation to improve utilization.

Effect of volatile anesthetics on early and delayed outcomes in pancreas transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common cause of allograft dysfunction and patient morbidity in solid organ transplantation. This study compares the effect of different inhaled anesthetics on early IRI and clinical outcomes in pancreas allograft recipients. METHODS: Data were extracted retrospectively for pancreas transplants at a single center over a 15-year period. Early postoperative pancreatic amylase and lipase levels were used as a marker for graft injury. Clinical outcomes measured included length of hospital stay, readmission, and graft survival. RESULTS: There were 625 pancreas transplants included in the analysis with 3 primary inhaled anesthetics: sevoflurane (53%), desflurane (35%), and isoflurane (12%). In the first 30 days post-transplant, peak amylase was lowest for sevoflurane (147) followed by desflurane (159) and isoflurane (229) (p = .03). Peak lipase levels followed the same trend (peak values 118, 131, and 135, respectively; p = .02). Early graft loss, length of hospital stay, and readmission within 3 months were similar among all three anesthetic groups. There was no difference in 10-year graft survival by Cox regression. CONCLUSIONS: Sevoflurane and desflurane are associated with lower peak amylase and lipase levels postoperatively in pancreas transplantation. Short- and long-term clinical outcomes were equivalent for the three agents.

Challenges of calcineurin inhibitor withdrawal following combined pancreas and kidney transplantation: Results of a prospective, randomized clinical trial.

In a phase 2 multicenter open-label randomized trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) recipients were randomized to a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based immunosuppressive regimen (tacrolimus) (n = 21), or an investigational arm using low-dose CNI plus costimulation blockade (belatacept) with intended CNI withdrawal (n = 22). Both arms included induction therapy with rabbit ATG, mycophenolate sodium, or mycophenolate mofetil and rapid withdrawal of steroids. Enrollment and CNI withdrawal were stopped after 43/60 planned subjects had been enrolled. At that time, the rate of biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR) of the pancreas was low in both groups until CNI was withdrawn, with four of the five pancreas rejections occurring during or after CNI withdrawal. The rate of BPAR of kidney allografts was low in both control (9.5%) and investigational (9.1%) arms. Pancreas graft survival at 52 weeks, defined by insulin independence, was 21 (100%) in the control group and 19 (86%) in the investigational arm. One subject in the investigational arm died with functioning pancreas and kidney grafts. Renal function at week 52 was similar in both arms. Costimulation blockade with belatacept did not provide sufficient immunosuppression to reliably prevent pancreas rejection in SPK transplants undergoing CNI withdrawal.

Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block for laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy: Continuous catheter infusion provides no additional analgesic benefit over single-injection ropivacaine.

BACKGROUND: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks are useful for adjunctive pain control following laparoscopic live donor nephrectomy (LLDN). The objective was to determine if TAP catheter provides additional analgesia compared with single-injection TAP block alone for kidney donors. METHODS: In this prospective, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, LLDN patients received a single TAP injection of 30 mL 0.2% ropivacaine and had a catheter inserted into the TAP space. Postoperatively, either 0.2% ropivacaine (TAP catheter group; TAP-C) or saline (TAP saline group; TAP-S) was infused at 10 mL/h. Pain scores, narcotic usage, nausea, and sedation were evaluated at 1, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 hours. RESULTS: The study population included 70 patients (35 randomly assigned to each group). No differences in pain scores, narcotic usage, nausea, or sedation were observed at any time point (with the exception of lower median pain score for TAP-S at 60 hours; 3.2 vs 3.9 for TAP-C; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: The lower pain score for placebo group at 60-hour postoperative is likely clinically insignificant. The TAP catheter infusion provided no benefit over a single-injection TAP block; thus, the added risk and cost are not supported. Liposomal bupivacaine should be evaluated in future studies.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Versus Doppler Ultrasound for Detection of Early Vascular Complications of Pancreas Grafts.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to compare conventional duplex ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for identifying vascular abnormalities in pancreas allografts in the immediate posttransplant setting. Identification of pancreas allografts at risk of failure may impact patient care because early intervention for vascular insufficiency can lead to graft salvage. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Two radiologists who were blinded to patient outcomes performed a retrospective analysis of the postoperative Doppler ultrasound and CEUS images of 34 pancreas grafts from transplants performed between 2017 and 2019. A total of 28 patients who did not require surgical reexploration were considered the control group. Six patients had surgically proven arterial or venous abnormalities on surgical reexploration. Each radiologist scored grafts as having normal or abnormal vascularity on the basis of image sets obtained using Doppler ultrasound only and CEUS only. Comparisons of both the diagnostic performance of each modality and interobserver agreement were performed. RESULTS. Both readers showed that CEUS had increased sensitivity for detecting vascular abnormalities (83.3% for both readers) compared with Doppler ultrasound (66.7% and 50.0%). For both readers, the specificity of CEUS was similar to that of Doppler imaging (81.6% and 78.9% for reader 1 and reader 2 versus 76.3% and 84.2% for reader 1 and reader 2). For both readers, the negative predictive value of CEUS was higher than that of Doppler ultrasound (96.9% and 96.8% for reader 1 and reader 2 versus 93.5% and 91.4% for reader 1 and reader 2). Interobserver agreement was higher for CEUS than for Doppler ultrasound (κ = 0.54 vs κ = 0.28). CONCLUSION. CEUS may provide radiologists and surgeons with a means of timely and effective evaluation of pancreas graft perfusion after surgery, and it may help identify grafts that could benefit from surgical salvage.