Overview

We'll usually do a kidney transplant at the same time as a pancreas transplant. The kidney and pancreas will come from a deceased donor. This is known as a combined, simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant or a double transplant. The improved blood sugar control after the transplant provides better long-term kidney function. It can also improve many problems related to long-term diabetes, including:

• reducing nausea and vomiting
• stabilising blood vessel disease
• stabilising eye disease
• stabilising peripheral neuropathy

A pancreas-after-kidney (PAK) transplant is when you have a pancreas transplant at least 4 months after you've had a kidney transplant. This allows you to control when you have the kidney transplant. The kidney will usually come from a living donor which will give you the best quality kidney.

We will transplant just the pancreas for some people with diabetes.

We can also transplant just the islets (specialised cells that produce insulin). This does not involve an open operation as the cells are injected into the liver through a long needle which goes through the skin.