Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation for liver transplant recipients with diabetes and uremia

Objective To summarize the clinical experience of simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation (SPK) after liver transplantation for patients with diabetes and uremia.Methods The clinical data of two patients who received SPK after liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed.The two male patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus before liver transplantation,and suffered from endstage uremia due to diabetic nephropathy and immunosuppressant-induced toxicity.Rapid technique for combined abdominal multiple viscera procurement was performed.Kidneys,pancreas,duodenum segment and spleen were procured.Renal allograft was placed in the left iliac fossa,whereas pancreas allograft in the right iliac fossa. The pancreatic allograft exocrine secretion was drained into the proximal jejunum via a side-to-side duodenojujunostomy. Quadruple immunosuppressive regime including IL2 receptor monoclonal antibody induction,tacrolimus (Tac),mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroid were used in case 1,and ATG and methylprednisolone were used in case 2.Results SPK was successfully applied to these two patients without serious surgical complications such as pancreatitis,graft and pancreatic fistula. The immunosuppressive regimen was based on tacrolimus with ATG induction,MMF and steroids.In the second case,serum creatinine level was decreased to the normal range within 1 week after the operation and then elevated continuously even he received empirical anti rejection treatment,Tac was tampered and rapamycin was used when the renal graft biopsy indicated drug toxicity,and creatinine level was decreased 3 weeks after the operation and recovered to the normal range at 5th week post-transplant. Both of the two patients achieved euglycemia with insulin independence about 10 days after the operation.And now these two patients have been followed up for 36 and 9 months,and the grafts function of the liver,kidney and pancreas was normal. Conclusion Immunologic reaction in patients undergoing simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation after liver transplantation seems more complex, and a reasonable immunosuppressive regimen is important to improVe the outcome.\r\n\r\nKey words: \r\nLiver transplantation; Diabetes mellitus; Kidney failure; Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation