The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach, attached to the small intestine and the spleen. The pancreas produces enzymes that aid in the digestion of food and hormones such as insulin. Insulin is essential in the maintenance of proper blood sugar levels in the body. Too little insulin in the blood results in diabetes mellitus.
For patients with early onset insulin-dependent diabetes (Type 1), pancreas transplantation may prevent or slow the progression of the long-term complications of diabetes. Usually our patients have kidney failure and ultimately receive both transplants at the same time, from the same donor.
Benign and malignant diseases of the pancreas can also develop and their treatment requires the expertise of a highly trained surgeon. Here at Tulane Abdominal Transplant Institute, our team has vast experience with specialized transplant pancreas surgery. With our multidisciplinary approach, we are able to offer a wide variety of treatment options for all pancreatic diseases.
