Pancreas transplant
Referrals
Making a referral
We accept referrals from other hospitals. Please email us to make a referral.
Before referring your patient, please make sure they have:
- urea and electrolytes tests
- estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
- calcium and phosphate tests
- liver function tests
- glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) tests
- a full blood count
- a blood group test
- a routine transplant assessment infection screen
- an MRSA screen
- urinalysis
- chest X-ray
- 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG)
- iliac artery and vein ultrasound
- echocardiogram
- myocardial perfusion scan or dobutamine stress echocardiogram
- ultrasound report of native kidneys (or an old non-functioning transplant)
Please include the test results in your referral letter.
Please email us for an up-to-date copy of our recipient work-up guidance document.
Selection criteria
We accept patients if:
- they have insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic renal failure and are already on dialysis or will be on dialysis within 6 months
- an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) less than 20 mL/min/1.73 m2
- they are under 65 years old (most patients are under 55 years old)
- their body mass index (BMI) is less than 32 (most patients have a BMI of less than 30)
- they have adequate cardiovascular reserve (this must be assessed by an echocardiogram and exercise tolerance test, or nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan or dobutamine stress echocardiogram)
- they have adequate respiratory reserve and have been assessed by lung function tests if they are symptomatic or have a history of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
We accept patients if:
- they have insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes mellitus
- they have life-threatening complications such as hypoglycaemic unawareness or "brittle diabetes" with frequent or severe episodes of hypoglycaemia
- an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) more than 40 ml/min/1.73 m2
- they have had a joint assessment with the diabetes team at King's College Hospital
- their body mass index (BMI) is less than 32 (most patients have a BMI of less than 30)
- they have adequate cardiovascular reserve (this must be assessed by an echocardiogram and exercise tolerance test, or nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan or dobutamine stress echocardiogram)
- they have adequate respiratory reserve and have been assessed by lung function tests if they are symptomatic or have a history of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
We accept patients if:
- they have of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
- they have stable function of a previous renal kidney transplant
- an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) more than 40 ml/min/1.73 m2
- their body mass index (BMI) is less than 32 (most patients have a BMI of less than 30)
- they have adequate cardiovascular reserve (this must be assessed by an echocardiogram and exercise tolerance test, or nuclear medicine myocardial perfusion scan or dobutamine stress echocardiogram)
- they have adequate respiratory reserve and have been assessed by lung function tests if they are symptomatic or have a history of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Exclusion criteria
We will not accept patients who have:
- insufficient cardiovascular reserve, including the inability to climb a flight of stairs without stopping, a heart attack in the last 6 months, known uncorrectable significant coronary artery disease or poor heart function on testing
- ongoing substance abuse
- major psychiatric illness
- immunosuppression likely to lead to life-threatening complications, such as active peptic ulcer disease or active sepsis
- an 'incurable' cancer (excluding localised skin cancer)
- a BMI more than 35
We may not accept patients who have:
- extensive peripheral arterial disease
- stroke with major functional impairment
- significant history of non-compliance
- significant history of alcohol or drug abuse
- untreated hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV
Contact us
Phone: 020 7188 1543
Last updated: May 2023