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Medical Benefits of Pancreas Transplantation

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Contemporary Pancreas Transplantation

Part of the book series: Organ and Tissue Transplantation ((OTT))

  • 118 Accesses

Abstract

The purpose of pancreas transplantation is to normalize the blood sugar of the recipient and minimize the secondary complications of diabetes. Data from the DCCT trial clearly showed that intensive blood sugar control was of long-term benefit in decreasing the secondary complications of diabetes. The incidence of retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy is reduced in patients with intensive blood sugar control. As a more physiologic method of controlling blood sugar than insulin injection or an insulin pump, and addressing other functions of the endocrine pancreas, transplantation of the pancreas is superior to exogenously administered insulin. The transplanted pancreas will provide near-normal response to dietary intake. Numerous studies now support the fact that in addition to control of the blood sugar of diabetic patients, there are benefits seen in the areas of retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, vascular disease, mortality, and quality of life.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA

    Larry B. Melton

  2. Hackensack Meridian Health, Hackensack, NJ, USA

    Larry B. Melton

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  1. Larry B. Melton
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Correspondence to Larry B. Melton .

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  1. Organ Transplantation, Hackensack University Medical Center Transplant Surgery and, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA

    James W. Lim

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Melton, L.B. (2017). Medical Benefits of Pancreas Transplantation. In: Lim, J. (eds) Contemporary Pancreas Transplantation. Organ and Tissue Transplantation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20789-6_14-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20789-6_14-1

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