Transplantation for type 1 diabetes: whole organ pancreas and islet cells

Beta-cell transplantation can be either a whole organ pancreas transplant or an islet cell transplant; both have resulted in restoration of a normoglycemic state. These transplants can be performed in conjunction with kidney transplants or as solitary grafts. In general, whole organ transplants have more sustained and durable function and are more widely available than their islet counterparts, but entail a much more invasive procedure. Beta-cell transplantation continues to evolve, with considerable improvement in results over the past two decades, and is a cost-effective option for select patients with type 1 diabetes.