UTOLEDO Health has expanded its organ transplantation program to include pancreatic transplants, based on the long history of the University of Toledo medical center as a leading renal transplant center.
UTMC, which is the only organ transplant center in northwest Ohio, received approval to make pancreas transplants in December and completed its first procedure in February.
Dr. Kunal Yadav, a UTOLEDO Health Transplantation Surgeon and Director of the new Pancreas Transplantation Program, carried out surgery for the success of Taylor Iceman in UTMC last month.
“We are proud to expand our transplantation program and provide another vital treatment opportunity to our patients,” said Dr. Charles “Chuck” Callahan, executive vice-president of health affairs. “UTOLEDO Health obtained national recognition for our renal transplantation program. The addition of transplantation of Pancreas is a next natural step that relies on this expertise and expands the scope of specialized care that we are able to offer here to Toledo. ”
Pancreas transplants are most often carried out in patients with type 1. diabetes. Although sometimes carried out alone, pancreatic transplants are much more often done alongside a kidney transplant in patients with renal failure caused by diabetes dependent on insulin.
This was the case for Taylor Iceman, who received a rein and pancreas transplant at UTMC last month.
Iceman, who lives near Mansfield, received a diabetes type 1 diagnosis in adolescence. After having lived with the disease for almost 25 years, his kidney function decreased to the point that he needed a new kidney. His doctors suggested that he is considering a simultaneous renal pancreas transplant, which would not only approach his kidney disease but also healed his diabetes.
The pancreas, a tadpole -shaped organ located in the upper left of the abdomen, plays an important role in digestion and regulation of blood sugar.
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas of an individual produces little or no insulin. Over time, diabetes can damage blood vessels and other structures in the kidneys that are essential to filter body waste.
“When we only do a kidney transplant only in patients, we do not deal with the disease that has caused damage in the first place,” said Dr. Kunal Yadav, Utoldo health transplant surgeon and director of the new Pancreas transplant program. “If we are able to give them a new pancreas, we heal their diabetes while restoring the kidney function. For many patients, this is the best option.”
Iceman was initially assessed for transplantation by a hospital in the Cleveland region. After a year on the waiting list of this hospital, he followed a recommendation from his nephrologist which he plans to appear in UTMC, who was preparing to launch his own pancreas transplant program.
The 39 -year -old man suffered tests in October and was officially listed for a UTMC transplant in January. A few weeks later, on February 12, he underwent a successful transplant.
“When I woke up in the hospital, I was sore but I felt better,” said Iceman. “My wife and the people who saw me said that my color was already much better, just automatically.”
As the father of three children who had continued to work full time as high school sports director and basketball coach throughout his battle against kidney disease, Iceman has kept a quick schedule.
Although he was able to do dialysis at home while he was sleeping, his illness zapped him from his energy. Most nights, he said, he would fall asleep on the couch after work.
“Being on dialysis is difficult. It was something I had to do, but it was starting to wear,” he said. “I’m really happy to be where I’m now. Everything was great, everyone who helped me. I would go up there and I would tell them all hi and I thank them again if I could. I only had great experience and I would certainly recommend people to come here. ”
Yadav, who carried out Iceman surgery, said the procedure went well and that he recovers well.
“He is fine,” said Yadav. “Its kidney function was excellent. He didn’t need dialysis after transplantation. His pancreas also worked immediately. Just when we were in the operating room, we stopped giving it insulin and he hasn’t needed it since. He had a great result. ”
UTOLEDO Health is already a leader in renal transplants, UTMC having carried out them for over 50 years. UTMC renal transplant volumes have increased considerably in the past five years and the hospital program has always had the fastest waiting list in the country.
According to the most recent report in the scientific register of transplantation recipients, the median time that patients spend to be listed upon receipt of a kidney transplant at UTMC is less than two months. This is compared to a national average of almost two and a half years.
The scientific register of transplantation recipients has also reported that patients transplanted to UTMC have a renal survival rate of 90 days above the national average.
Like any organ transplantation, pancreatic transplantation is major surgery and patients must take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent the rejection of the new organ for the rest of their lives.
Due to these risks, transplantation is not a first -line treatment for most diabetic patients. However, in diabetic patients who need a kidney transplant, some of which have type 2 diabetes, calculation changes.
“You will already give drugs by immunosuppression and anti -rejection to these patients,” Yadav said. “It is not an additional surgery. They will not need additional drugs, and often they will need long -term medication because they don’t need to take insulin after the transplant. This can be a procedure that changes life. ”
The kidneys are by far the most commonly transplanted organ in the world, with nearly 27,000 procedures carried out in the United States last year. The simultaneous transplants of Pancreas-Kidney, in comparison, are relatively rare. Over the past five years, American transplantation centers have an average of around 850 cases per year.
Part of the reason, said Yadav, is that type 1 diabetics are a relatively small part of the patient’s patient graft patient. Patients must also meet certain criteria, including age, body mass index and overall health, to receive a pancreatic transplant.
The autonomous pancreas transplants are rarer, with only 120 people have been made in the United States in each of the last three years.
However, UTOLEDO health officials say there is a need for new programs, especially in this part of the country. Last year, only seven pancreatic transplants were carried out in the state of Michigan.
“This is an area where we think we can make a real difference, in our backyard and in our region,” said Dan Barbee, CEO of UTMC. “It is necessary to improve access to pancreatic transplants. We are well placed to provide this service and to do it at a very high level. ”
For Iceman, who is eager to no longer need insulin photos with each meal and freedom and energy to do more with his family, the main side effect immediately after surgery was boredom. His normally loaded days have been replaced by day television while he recovers.
“I’m ready to start doing things again,” said Iceman.