Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation with duodeno-duodenal anastomosis

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKT) is now accepted as the method of choice for patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type I) who have end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We believe that retroperitoneal positioning of the donor pancreas with the formation of duodeno-duodenal anastomosis is the most physiologically relevant. Starting in January 2008, the SPKT was chosen as the treatment method of 32 patients with diabetes mellitus. In 15 cases comprising group I (46.9%), the pancreas was placed intra-abdominally (including the formation of the duodeno-jejunal anastomosis). In the remaining 17 patients (53.1%) comprising group II, the pancreas was positioned retroperitoneally (including the formation of the duodeno-duodenal anastomosis). We compared the main parameters of the early postoperative period in these groups. There were no substantial differences between the groups in the prevalence of immunological (13.3% and 11.8%, P = .9), surgical (20% and 23.5%, P = .81), and infectious complications (20% and 5.9%, P = .23). On discharge there were no significant differences in the values of the following between the two groups, respectively: serum creatinine values, 112.7 ± 31.2 and 104.8 ± 54.6 μmol/L, P = .17; glomerular filtration rate, 73.5 ± 28.6 and 78.7 ± 24.9 mL/min, P = .55; α-amylase, 121.9 ± 63.6 and 150.1 ± 72.1 U/L, P = .27; pancreatic amylase, 102 ± 51.5 and 122.5 ± 75.4 U/L, P = .6; lipase, 115.4 ± 67.3 and 96 ± 65.7 U/L, P = .5; С-peptide, 4.44 ± 1.9 and 4.02 ± 2.4 ng/mL, P = .47; HbA1c, 5.45 ± 0.8% and 5.56 ± 1.12%, P = .9; and intact insulin, 12.2 ± 5.4 and 12.9 ± 8.8 mcIU/mL, P = .95). SPKT remains the best method of medical and social rehabilitation for patients who have diabetes mellitus (type-I) with ESRD. Compared to the classic method, we have seen no significant deviations in either of the following: the qualitative features marking the restoration of function of the two transplanted organs and/or the quality of compensation of carbohydrate metabolism, incidence of rejection, and graft loss. At the same time, retroperitoneal positioning of the pancreas exhibited lower repeat surgery rates.