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Late pancreas retransplantation
Author(s) -
Fridell Jonathan A.,
Mangus Richard S.,
Chen Jeanne M.,
Goble Michelle L.,
Mujtaba Muhammad A.,
Taber Tim E.,
Powelson John A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
clinical transplantation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1399-0012
pISSN - 0902-0063
DOI - 10.1111/ctr.12468
Subject(s) - medicine , surgery , demographics , pancreas transplantation , pancreas , laparotomy , percutaneous , thrombosis , single center , complication , transplantation , kidney transplantation , demography , sociology
Pancreas retransplantation, excluding immediate retransplantation for graft thrombosis, is a technically treacherous operation with the added challenges of adhesions from the prior transplant and difficulties identifying usable recipient vessels. The goal of this study was to review our single‐center experience with late pancreas retransplantation. Charts for all pancreas transplant recipients between 01/2003 and 04/2013 were reviewed for demographics, graft and patient survival, length of stay ( LOS ), readmissions, and technical complications. Of 473 pancreas transplants, there were 20 late pancreas retransplants compared to 441 first transplants. There were no significant differences in donor or recipient demographics. There was no significant difference in graft or patient survival. The mean and median lengths of stay were 22 and nine d, respectively (range 5–175 d), and 11 recipients required readmission within the first three months post‐transplant. Five patients were reexplored in the early postoperative period for an enteric leak at the site of the primary allograft (n = 1), complications of percutaneous gastrostomy tube placement (n = 1), hemorrhage (n = 1), and negative laparotomy for hyperglycemia (n = 2). Pancreas retransplantation is technically challenging but can be safely performed with graft and recipient survival comparable to primary transplants.