Islet Cell Transplant

Exogenous insulin administration is currently the only treatment available for patients with type 1 diabetes, but it is not a cure. Long-term complications associated with the disease may be preventable with a treatment strategy that can provide better blood glucose control. The transplantation of isolated islets provides the potential to restore endogenous insulin production and reestablish normoglycemia. Significant progress has been made in the outcomes of clinical islet transplantation, reflecting improvements in nondiabetogenic immunosuppression and preparation of sufficient quantities of highly viable islets for transplantation. Islet transplantation represents a potential cure for patients with type 1 diabetes.