LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) completed the first successful combined kidney-pancreas transplant in Arkansas on September 1, making them the only hospital in the state performing adult liver, kidney, and now, pancreas transplants.
According to Raj Patel, M.D., surgical director of pancreas transplantation at UAMS, the patient who received the transplant was an insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetic on dialysis for kidney failure. Since the surgery, the patient no longer has to depend on insulin and dialysis.
Previously, Arkansans in need of pancreas transplants had to travel out of state for the procedure and follow-up care. Now, UAMS surgeons can perform the transplant on the main Little Rock campus and provide follow-up care at satellite clinics across the state.
“UAMS is dedicated to meeting the needs of our patients and communities,” said Lyle Burdine, M.D., director of solid organ transplants. “Whenever patients have to leave the state for treatment, it creates a hardship for them and their families. We are grateful to be able to expand our services to include pancreas transplants.”
The preliminary recipients of the transplant will be Type 1 diabetics, though Patel said they might eventually become available for Type 2 diabetics as well.
“Right now, we are only doing kidney-pancreas transplants,” Patel said.
He explained that dual-organ transplants from the same donor have been shown to benefit patients more than pancreas transplants by themselves.
Additionally, he added that since the waiting list is shorter for people who need both a kidney and a pancreas transplant, instead of a kidney transplant alone, UAMS’ decision to start doing pancreas transplants is also helping kidney patients move more quickly up a long waiting list.
The Scientific Registry for Transplant Recipients (SRTR), which evaluates transplant programs for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recently ranked UAMS’ kidney and liver transplant programs among the highest in the nation for having the largest impact on patients’ survival.
The kidney transplant program ranked third among 256 programs, while the liver transplant program ranked fourth among 149 programs.