Surgical nuances in pancreas transplantation

The modern surgical era of vascularized pancreas transplantation (PTX) began with the systemic-bladder drainage technique. According to International Pancreas Transplant Registry (IPTR) data, most PTX procedures are performed with systemic venous delivery of insulin and either bladder (systemic bladder) or enteric (systemic-enteric) drainage of the exocrine secretions. Since 1995 the number of PTX procedures performed with primary enteric drainage has increased dramatically, accounting for more than 70% of cases since 2001. Despite an evolution in exocrine drainage, the proportion of enteric drained PTXs with portal venous delivery of insulin (portal enteric drainage) has remained low, representing about 20% of cases. In recent IPTR analyses no differences were reported in short-term outcomes according to surgical technique. Coincident with more physiologic implantation techniques, the surgical complication rate has decreased to 10% to 20%. Experience with donor and recipient selection can reduce morbidity, inasmuch as risk factors for surgical complications include prolonged pre-transplantation peritoneal dialysis, donor or recipient BMI body mass index >28 kg/m2, donor or recipient age older than 45 years, cerebrovascular cause of donor brain death, prolonged preservation, and prior abdominal surgery in the recipient. New techniques include simultaneous living donor kidney and deceased donor PTX, gastroduodenal artery revascularization, laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy and distal pancreatectomy, en bloc kidney and pancreas transplantation, P-E drainage with venting jejunostomy, retroperitoneal PTX with P-E drainage, and unusual vascular grafts. In the future the emphasis will shift from short-term surgical to long-term medical outcomes as the ultimate measure of success.