Other pancreas treatment options
If a pancreas transplant is too risky, there are other options
Key points
- Most people with insulin-treated diabetes do not need a pancreas transplant
- Due to the risks involved, a pancreas transplant is only an option for carefully selected patients
- Other treatment options may be better many patients
- Talk to your pancreas doctor about the right treatment for you
Reasons why you might not be able to have a pancreas transplant
Common reasons why a pancreas transplant may not be the right treatment for you include:
- Your diabetes does not require insulin and/or can be better treated in other ways
- You are too ill or frail to cope with the surgery and aftercare
- You have recently had cancer, a serious infection, a heart attack or a stroke
- You may struggle taking the immunosuppressant medicines after a pancreas transplant
Other treatment options
Not all patients with insulin-treated diabetes will benefit from a pancreas transplant. In the majority of cases, symptoms can be controlled more safely in different ways. For others, the risks of a transplant are greater than the benefits.
Treatments for patients with insulin-treated diabetes and kidney failure
Treatments for insulin-treated diabetes that is very hard to control or patients that have already had a kidney transplant
Discuss your options with a doctor
Speak to your diabetes and kidney team to find out what treatment is best for you.
