Background: There is a paucity of contemporary data describing the results of pancreas retransplantation (PRT). As a measure of utility, we wished to determine whether PRT could produce equivalent short-term and long-term recipient outcomes to primary pancreas after kidney (PAK) transplantation.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of 96 consecutive pancreas only transplants performed from 2003 to May 2012. Primary PAK transplants (n = 78) were compared to PRT (n=18).
Results: Donor and recipient demographics were similar. Pancreas graft survival was similar for PAK and PRT at 1 year (88.2% vs. 100%) and 3 years (85.1% vs. 85.1%). Pancreas graft failure occurred in 14 PAK and two PRT patients with a mean follow-up of 61.6 ± 38.7 and 37.8 ± 26.1 months, respectively. There were no differences in postoperative length of stay (9.9 days vs. 8.7 days; P = 0.9) or postoperative complications in the first 3 months (47.4% vs. 38.9%, P = 0.6). At 3-year follow-up, both groups had comparable HBA1c (0.06 vs. 0.05; P = 0.8), serum creatinine (116.6 μmol/L v 131.7 μmol/L; P = 0.09), and oral glucose tolerance tests.
Conclusion: Pancreas retransplantation is a safe and effective therapy for select recipients after graft loss. Pancreas retransplantation is associated with the same risk of postoperative complications and has similar intermediate-term graft survival compared to primary PAK transplantation.