[Pancreas transplantation: status of the problem in experimental and clinical medicine]

Transplantations of pancreas grafts are performed in patients with juvenile onset of diabetes to halt the progression of secondary microangiopathic organ lesions. The treatment of the exocrine secretion of pancreas grafts remains problematic. Duct occlusion seems to be the safest approach but results in fibrosis of the gland. Therefore more recently drainage is directed to a hollow organ, generally performed as pancreaticojejunostomy. New immunosuppressive therapies improved the transplant results. The diagnosis of occurring rejection is difficult since monitoring of plasma glucoses is not very sensitive. Cold storage of grafts in SGF-solution is a reliable preservation procedure. Islet cell transplantation might be a promising alternative technique in the future.