PANCREAS TRANSPLANT

‎D. Banerjee Transplant Surgeon

‎Pancreas is a big gland placed in the middle of the human abdomen and is intimately related to a part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Pancreas produces some digestive juices which are released into the duodenum for digesting protein food. More importantly, the pancress produces a hormone called insulin, which is released into the blood stream when the blood sugar level of the blood starts to rise above a normal basal level. Lack or absence of insulin causes the disease diabetes melitus. In diabetic patients, inspite of administering insulin through injections, there is progressive damage of blood vessels, kidneys, heart and eyes. These complications can be prevented or ameliorated by transplantation of the pancreas.

‎Pancreas Transplantation was first reported in human in the late 1960s. At present, it is available as a standard form of therapy in many developed countries. It is still not available in India.