[Assessing the quality of life after pancreas-kidney transplantation]

The pancreas-kidney transplantation strives for a reestablishment both of the physiological regulation of blood glucose levels without external insulin and of kidney function without the need of dialysis. Nevertheless, the postoperative morbidity of the combined transplantation is high. In long lasting diabetes type I, a strict selection of transplant candidates is necessary to minimize the risks of cardio-vascular complications. Between 1990 and 1997 only 17 of 44 patients really were accepted for transplantation in our unit. 13/17 patients are actually independent from external insulin and dialysis. Two other patients are free of dialysis, but the pancreas transplants had to be removed due to thrombosis or infection. In one case therapy-resistant acute rejection occurred and both organs had to be removed after two months. One women died four years after transplantation with a functioning kidney graft from myocardial infarction. 10 patients with stable transplant function are at work again. After normal pregnancy two women gave birth to healthy children, in one case twins. Drug regimen and outpatients visits are not seen as significant restrictions of the quality of life.