Simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplantation--the optimal therapy for type I diabetics with end-stage renal disease in Europe, too?

Contrary to the situation in the USA, the number of pancreatic transplantations declined during the last year in the Eurotransplant region. Whether the high postoperative morbidity and unsatisfactory graft function rates reported by many European centres can be overcome was investigated in a single centre study. In a consecutive series of 80 patients with simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplantations, postoperative morbidity due to graft pancreatitis and recurrent rejections was significant. Both of these complications, however, were treated successfully in the vast majority of patients. Graft thrombosis was almost completely prevented. Excellent function rates of the pancreatic grafts of 88% after 1 year and 83% after 5 years were achieved. Thus, simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplantation can be recommended as the optimal therapy for type I diabetics with end-stage renal disease in Europe, too.