Context: Total pancreatectomy (TP) with islet cell autotransplantation (IAT) can reduce or prevent diabetes by preserving beta cell function and is normally performed with on-site isolation laboratory facilities.
Objective: We examined factors associated with islet yield and metabolic outcomes in patients with chronic pancreatitis undergoing TP-IAT. We report our experience of TP-IAT with an off-site islet isolation laboratory.
Patients and methods: Data (August 2008 to February 2014) were obtained from a TP-IAT database which included information from medical records, clinic visits, questionnaires, and follow-up telephone calls. Each patient was assessed with pre- and postoperative 5-hour mixed-meal tolerance tests for metabolic measurements and with serial glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) determinations.
Results: Thirty-six patients with a mean age of 38 years (range, 16-72 y) underwent TP-IAT for different etiologies. At a median follow-up time of 28 months (range, 3-66 mo), 12 patients were insulin independent and 24 patients were on at least one insulin injection a day. Postoperatively, C-peptide levels ≥0.3 ng/mL were present in 23/33 (70%) of the patients, with a median fasting C-peptide value of 0.8 ng/mL (range, <0.2-1.5 ng/mL). Those who were insulin independent were more likely to be female (P = .012), have normal morphology on pre-operative pancreatic imaging (P = .011), and have significantly higher median islet yield (6845 islet equivalent numbers [IEQ]/kg, n = 12 vs 3333 IEQ/kg, n = 24; P < .001).
Conclusions: IAT after TP performed in our facility with an off-site islet isolation laboratory shows islet yield and rates of insulin independence that are comparable to other large centers with on-site laboratories.