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Updated: Apr 19, 2026
Isolation of Human Islets from Partially Pancreatectomized Patients
Published on: July 30, 2011
Autologous islet transplantation with remote islet isolation after pancreas resection for chronic pancreatitis
Denise S Tai1, Na Shen2, Gregory L Szot3
1Department of Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Importance:
Autologous islet transplantation is an elegant and effective method for preserving euglycemia in patients undergoing near-total or total pancreatectomy for severe chronic pancreatitis. However, few centers worldwide perform this complex procedure, which requires interdisciplinary coordination and access to a sophisticated Food and Drug Administration-licensed islet-isolating facility.
Objective:
To investigate outcomes from a single institutional case series of near-total or total pancreatectomy and autologous islet transplantation using remote islet isolation.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
Retrospective cohort study between March 1, 2007, and December 31, 2013, at tertiary academic referral centers among 9 patients (age range, 13-47 years) with chronic pancreatitis and reduced quality of life after failed medical management.
Interventions:
Pancreas resection, followed by transport to a remote facility for islet isolation using a modified Ricordi technique, with immediate transplantation via portal vein infusion.
Main Outcomes And Measures:
Islet yield, pain assessment, insulin requirement, costs, and transport time.
Results:
Eight of nine patients had successful islet isolation after near-total or total pancreatectomy. Four of six patients with total pancreatectomy had islet yields exceeding 5000 islet equivalents per kilogram of body weight. At 2 months after surgery, all 9 patients had significantly reduced pain or were pain free. Of these patients, 2 did not require insulin, and 1 required low doses. The mean transport cost was $16,527, and the mean transport time was 3½ hours.
Conclusions And Relevance:
Pancreatic resection with autologous islet transplantation for severe chronic pancreatitis is a safe and effective final alternative to ameliorate debilitating pain and to help prevent the development of surgical diabetes. Because many centers lack access to an islet-isolating facility, we describe our experience using a regional 2-center collaboration as a successful model to remotely isolate cells, with outcomes similar to those of larger case series.
