Transplant Center

Criteria have been established to help determine if a patient is a candidate for transplantation. The criteria explain the reasons for inclusion in, or exclusion from pancreas and/or kidney transplantation.

Inclusion
Criteria for pancreas transplantation:

• Patients must have Type I diabetes and early complications of the disease and/or hypoglycemia unawareness (insulin reactions) that have not responded to other medical treatments.
• Patients must have adequate kidney function to tolerate the anti-rejection medications needed after transplant.
• Patients must qualify for and be able to tolerate major surgery.
• Patients and their family members/support system must be able to understand the risks and benefits of transplantation, including the long-term need for close medical follow-up, and life-long need for anti-rejection therapy.
• Patients/families must be able to accept the responsibility to be involved in the long-term care required after transplantation, including the financial responsibilities.

Exclusion
Factors and considerations that may result in exclusion from transplantation include:

• The presence of some other life-threatening disease or condition that would not improve with transplantation. This would include certain cancers, infections that cannot be treated or cured, or severe, uncorrectable heart disease.
• History of chronic non-compliance, including but not limited to medical treatments, medications, or other behaviors that would affect the patient's ability to fully care for themselves after transplantation.
• History of chronic and ongoing drug and/or alcohol abuse that cannot be successfully treated before transplantation, putting the patient at risk for continued harmful behavior after transplantation.