Qualifi cation of patients with diabetes to pancreas transplantation alone

Abstract

Pancreas transplantation alone (PTA) is mainly used as a treatment option in poorly controlled type 1 diabetes, although this procedure is more and more often performed in patients with type 2, or other types of diabetes (e.g. after pancreatectomy). Pancreas transplantation alone is aiming at prophylaxy of acute diabetes complications (especially severe hypo- and hyperglycemia), but also at achieving insulin independency and in some cases at prophylaxy of chronic complications. The present paper aims to summarize indications and contraindications for PTA (especially in patients with type 1 diabetes, although type 2 and other types of diabetes are also mentioned), and to shortly describe a process of patients’ selection and qualifi cation to the procedure.