Enteric Conversion of Bladder-drained Pancreas as a Predictor of Outcomes in Almost 600 Recipients at a Single Center. Transplant Direct. 2020;6:e550. [PMID: 32548244 PMCID: PMC7213611 DOI: 10.1097/txd.0000000000000997]

Bariatric surgery prior to pancreas transplantation: a retrospective matched case-control study

BACKGROUND

The clinical impact of bariatric surgery (BS) prior to pancreas transplantation (PTx) is unclear.

SETTING

University of Minnesota Hospital, Minneapolis, MN.

METHODS

This was a single center retrospective case-controlled study of all patients January 1, 1998 and May 1, 2024 with a history of BS prior to PTx. Patients were matched (1:3) with control patients by recipient age, body mass index (BMI) at PTx, type of transplant, primary versus retransplant, and year of PTx.

RESULTS

Among 1542 transplants, 17 patients had a history of BS prior to PTx, with an overall incidence of 1.1%. Eleven patients underwent roux-en-y gastric bypass, 5 underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG), and one underwent vertical-banded gastroplasty. Eleven underwent simultaneous pancreas kidney transplant, 5 underwent pancreas transplant alone, and one underwent pancreas after kidney transplant. The median time (interquartile range [IQR]) between BS and PTx was 2.9 yrs (4.6) and ranged from .7 to 20.6 yrs. Compared to the non-BS group, patients in the BS group had similar rates of graft thrombosis (5.9% versus 3.9%, P = .76) and rejection (29.4% versus 29.4%, P > .99). Length of stay following PTx (P = .22), number of 30-day readmissions (P = .24), and number of 1-year readmissions (P = .70) were not different between the two groups. Median death-censored graft survival (9.4 yrs versus median not reached, P = .23) and patient survival (9.4 yrs versus median not reached, P = .18) were similar between the BS and non-BS groups. Finally, six patients underwent BS with the specific intention of reaching the acceptable BMI threshold for PTx. Median BMI was reduced from 37.4 prior to BS to 26.4 at time of PTx. Median time from BS to PTx was 2.4 yrs. At 4 yr follow-up, graft and patient survival was 100%.

CONCLUSIONS

This represents the largest series of patients with BS prior to PTx. Perioperative complications are not increased in patients undergoing PTx with a history of prior BS and long-term outcomes are equivalent. Patients with a prohibitive BMI for PTx eligibility should be considered for BS without concern for detrimental effect on post-transplant outcomes.

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation for end-stage renal failure in type 1 diabetes mellitus: Current perspectives

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the important causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal failure (ESRF). Even with the best available treatment options, management of T1DM poses significant challenges for cli nicians across the world, especially when associated with CKD and ESRF. Substantial increases in morbidity and mortality along with marked rise in treatment costs and marked reduction of quality of life are the usual consequences of onset of CKD and progression to ESRF in patients with T1DM. Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant (SPK) is an attractive and promising treatment option for patients with advanced CKD/ESRF and T1DM for potential cure of these diseases and possibly several complications. However, limited availability of the organs for transplantation, the need for long-term immunosuppression to prevent rejection, peri- and post-operative complications of SPK, lack of resources and the expertise for the procedure in many centers, and the cost implications related to the surgery and postoperative care of these patients are major issues faced by clinicians across the globe. This clinical update review compiles the latest evidence and current recommendations of SPK for patients with T1DM and advanced CKD/ESRF to enable clinicians to care for these diseases.

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.

Exocrine drainage in pancreas transplantation: Complications and management

The aim of this minireview is to compare various pancreas transplantation exocrine drainage techniques i.e., bladder vs enteric. Both techniques have different difficulties and complications. Numerous comparisons have been made in the literature between exocrine drainage techniques throughout the history of pancreas transplantation, detailing complications and their impact on graft and patient survival. Specific emphasis has been made on the early postoperative management of these complications and the related surgical infections and their consequences. In light of the results, a number of bladder-drained pancreas grafts required conversion to enteric drainage. As a result of technical improvements, outcomes of the varied enteric exocrine drainage techniques (duodenojejunostomy, duodenoduodenostomy or gastric drainage) have also been discussed i.e., assessing specific risks vs benefits. Pancreatic exocrine secretions can be drained to the urinary or intestinal tracts. Until the late 1990s the bladder drainage technique was used in the majority of transplant centers due to ease of monitoring urine amylase and lipase levels for evaluation of possible rejection. Moreover, bladder drainage was associated at that time with fewer surgical complications, which in contrast to enteric drainage, could be managed with conservative therapies. Nowadays, the most commonly used technique for proper driving of exocrine pancreatic secretions is enteric drainage due to the high rate of urological and metabolic complications associated with bladder drainage. Of note, 10% to 40% of bladder-drained pancreata eventually required enteric conversion at no detriment to overall graft survival. Various surgical techniques were originally described using the small bowel for enteric anastomosis with Roux-en-Y loop or a direct side-to-side anastomosis. Despite the improvements in surgery, enteric drainage complication rates ranging from 2%-20% have been reported. Treatment depends on the presence of any associated complications and the condition of the patient. Intra-abdominal infection represents a potentially very serious problem. Up to 30% of deep wound infections are associated with an anastomotic leak. They can lead not only to high rates of graft loss, but also to substantial mortality. New modifications of established techniques are being developed, such as gastric or duodenal exocrine drainage. Duodenoduodenostomy is an interesting option, in which the pancreas is placed behind the right colon and is oriented cephalad. The main concern of this technique is the challenge of repairing the native duodenum when allograft pancreatectomy is necessary. Identification and prevention of technical failure remains the main objective for pancreas transplantation surgeons. In conclusion, despite numerous techniques to minimize exocrine pancreatic drainage complications e.g., leakage and infection, no universal technique has been standardized. A prospective study/registry analysis may resolve this.