Risks of a pancreas transplant
It’s important to understand the risks of a pancreas transplant
Key points
- Not every patient feels better after having a pancreas transplant
- A pancreas transplant is major surgery and you’ll need to take strong medicines afterwards, which can cause problems
- The risks of transplantation can broadly be divided into early risks and longer-term risks
- All donated organs have the potential to come with health risks
Understanding your risks
A pancreas transplant can slow down the effects of diabetes and lead to a better quality of life. But it is not a cure and there may be serious problems after a transplant. This may be due to the surgery, or may be due to the immunosuppressant medicines you need to take afterwards.
Watch our short video about risk levels
Risk levels
For a pancreas transplant, each risk is said to be either: very common, common, uncommon or rare. This is based on the number of pancreas transplant patients that have been affected by the risk.
| Risk level | Number of pancreas transplant patients affected |
|---|---|
| Very common | More than 10 in 100 |
| Common | Between 1 in 100 and 10 in 100 |
| Uncommon | Between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 100 |
| Rare | Fewer than 1 in 1000 |
Example: Very common risk
The image below is a visual representation of a complication that affects 15 in 100 patients.
Example: Common risk
The image below is a visual representation of a complication that affects 2 in 100 patients.
Speak to your pancreas doctor about your risks
This information summarises the risks for most patients. But your transplant journey is unique. Your pancreas doctor will be able to discuss in more detail the risks you might face.