Pancreas Transplant Program

The Pancreas Transplant Program at Mass General Transplant Center is temporarily paused. Active pre-transplant pancreas candidates are being supported by our local transplant colleagues. We are working to resume services soon. Thank you for your understanding.

About the Pancreas Transplant Program

A regional leader in pancreas and islet transplantation, Massachusetts General Hospital continues to achieve some of the best outcomes in pancreas transplantation in the country. We are also one of the few centers in the country to offer islet transplantation, a pioneering, minimally invasive technique that replaces the insulin producing cells of the pancreas with less surgical risk and a shorter recovery time than a whole organ transplant.

For patients who require a pancreas or islet transplant, we offer convenient access to both procedures, as well as the ease and reassurance of receiving comprehensive, innovative care at one center.

A Leader in Islet Transplantation

The Mass General islet team is part of the multicenter Clinical Islet Transplantation Consortium (CIT), dedicated to advancing the technique of islet transplantation. We also operate the only active FDA-approved facility for the isolation and preparation of islets for human transplantation.

Patients with type 1 diabetes who are not candidates for whole organ pancreas transplantation may be eligible to undergo islet transplantation through a clinical trial currently underway at our Transplant Center.

Mass General has also initiated an islet auto transplant program for patients with chronic pancreatitis, in which patients requiring surgical removal of their pancreas have the insulin-producing islets isolated from the removed pancreas and replaced in the patient’s body to prevent the development of diabetes.

Transplant Evaluation

All patients receive integrated, comprehensive care to treat their diabetes, beginning with a careful assessment and discussion with the patient to ensure that transplantation is his/her best treatment option. Candidates work with a transplant coordinator, who participates in the initial evaluation, gathers medical information and previous test results, and manages the patient’s full evaluation, which includes patient education, medical, surgical and psychosocial evaluation, and transplant-specific testing.

Pancreas transplant candidates are placed on the national United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) waiting list, which manages the distribution of organs nationwide.

Post-Transplant Care

After transplantation, patients are followed by our team of surgeons, endocrinologists and nurses who manage the post-transplant needs of the patient, including communication with the patient’s primary care physicians and referral to other specialists, as needed.

At the time of your discharge, you will receive extensive instructions for all of your new medications, and for your follow up. It is important to listen to the advice of your transplant team, and to be your own advocate when you have concerns or questions. Following transplantation, you will be taking immunosuppression medications daily to prevent rejection of the organ. These drugs reduce your immune system function, so it is equally important to make sure you do not develop any infections after transplant.

Initially, you will be seen once or twice a week in clinic, and you will have labs drawn twice a week so your doctors can monitor the function of your new organ and make sure the levels of medication in your blood are appropriate.

If for some reason you are unable to take your medications, unable to come to clinic or unable to have your blood drawn, please notify our team immediately so that we may assist you. We have a team on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Note: In an emergency, please proceed to the nearest emergency room and have the doctor there call us at 617-726-5277.

General Wellness Tips

• Avoid contact with sick people after surgery
• Avoid driving until you are off all pain medications and able to move about without any discomfort
• Avoid heavy lifting for two months following surgery
• If someone is sick in your household, wear a surgical mask
• Return to work when you feel comfortable
• Take walks daily
• Wash your hands frequently

Possible Symptoms

Please call the Mass General Transplant Center if you have any of the following signs or symptoms:

• Burning or bleeding with urination
• Elevated fasting blood glucose levels (above 200 on two or more occasions)
• Exposure to anyone with mumps, measles, chicken pox or shingles
• Fever above 100.5
• Inability to obtain or take your medications
• More frequent urination
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• New rash
• Pain, redness or discharge from your incision
• Productive cough, or a cough that will not go away
• Shortness of breath