Kidney-pancreas transplantation: a treatment option for ESRD and type I diabetes

Combined kidney-pancreas transplantation is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) resulting from type I diabetes. Current 1 year graft survival rates are nearing 80% and evidence is accumulating that improvement occurs in microvascular and neuropathic complications of diabetes after transplantation. This article is a detailed overview based on the current literature and our experience at The University Hospitals of Cleveland of the challenges and benefits of kidney-pancreas transplantation and the nursing care required to prepare the patient for home.