Pancreatic Transplantation

Our pancreas transplant outcomes are among the best in the nation with three-year survival rates exceeding the national average for simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplants.

We are able to transplant patients who normally would be ineligible elsewhere by using sophisticated donor pool expansion techniques for those who require simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation. These include transplantation of kidneys with acute kidney injury, viral hepatitis and HIV, living donor paired kidney exchange, and innovative desensitization programs for patients with high antibody levels and incompatible blood types.

Our world-renowned specialists use advanced diagnostic imaging technology for evaluation of donor pancreases and recipients, including ultrasonography, computerized tomography (CT), CT angiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and digital subtraction angiography, for preoperative and postoperative evaluation.

We are among the few hospitals in the United States to have an Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network (OPTN) member transplant histocompatibility laboratory. Our in-house American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI) accredited immunology lab provides state-of-the-art histocompatibility, immunology and immunogenetics testing including HLA typing, antibody, and crossmatch testing. For patients needing dialysis access surgery, we provide in-house vascular access services, including venous catheters, arteriovenous (AV) fistulas, and AV grafts. 

Our transplant experts utilize the most advanced surgical approaches available today, including minimally invasive and robotically-assisted surgery for faster recovery as well as bloodless transplant for those with religious or medical restrictions. Depending on the degree of associated kidney disease and secondary diabetic complications, we offer simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplantation, pancreas after kidney transplant and pancreas transplant alone. For patients with advanced insulin-dependent diabetes and kidney failure requiring either a simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant or pancreas after kidney transplant, we offer kidney transplants from either a deceased or living donor and pancreas transplants from a deceased donor. Our continued work in the development of newly-emerging techniques and technologies allows us to provide the latest leading-edge surgical techniques. 

To ensure successful transplantation, we optimize graft survival with advanced immunosuppressive therapies and novel immune tolerance protocols. In addition, we use specialized monitoring techniques to assess transplant rejection and other complications. These techniques include tissue biopsy, non-invasive and minimally-invasive liquid biopsy, and immunological tests to help optimize immunosuppressive therapy.

When pancreas transplant is to be performed after a kidney transplant, we often recommend a living donor kidney to help overcome the limited supply of organs. Our robust living donor program offers a way for individuals to get a lifesaving transplant sooner. Family, friends and anonymous living donors participate in the program, reducing the wait time for transplantation in matched recipients. Live donor transplant success rates have been shown to be equivalent to deceased donor transplant success rates. At Montefiore Einstein, we are among the best in the nation with three-year liver transplant survival rates of 100% for both pediatric and adult recipients of live donor liver transplants. 

For our patients in need of a kidney or liver transplant, we created the first-of-its-kind revolutionary I Want to Live Digital Tool which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and video to tell their story of why they want to live. This proprietary tool offers a completely novel and unique approach to helping those who need a transplant overcome the hurdle of asking for help and reaching potential donors.

The Montefiore Einstein Center for Transplantation provides a number of resources to help, educate and support you and your family through the entire transplant process, including a dedicated transplant coordinator to help you navigate each step of your journey before, during and after surgery. 

Our Helping Hands Program, a resource network of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, social workers and administrators, helps people navigate and better manage their health and lives as they go through the transplantation process, and complements state-of-the-art medicine with holistic approaches to improve quality of life for patients, families, and caregivers.