Simultaneous Kidney – Pancreas Transplant (SPK)
This is done in patients suffering from either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus with chronic kidney disease. In this procedure, a healthy pancreas along with a healthy kidney are transplanted into the recipient. The pancreas and kidney can come from the same deceased donor (cadaveric pancreas + cadaveric kidney) or pancreas from the deceased donor and kidney from a live donor (cadaveric pancreas + live related kidney). Worldwide most (70-80%) of the pancreas are transplanted along with kidneys.
The addition of a pancreas at the time of kidney transplantation can normalize glucose control, prevents diabetic damage in the newly transplanted kidney and provide long-term stabilization and improvement of the secondary diabetic complications. Having SPK can also offer freedom from dietary and fluid restrictions that are in effect before this transplant.
The uremic patient with diabetes is an excellent candidate for an SPK transplantation because:
The immunosuppressive medications that are needed after a pancreas transplant are similar to those for a kidney transplant alone
Patients listed for Simultaneous pancreas & kidney (SPK) are often able to receive a high-quality deceased donor kidney within a shorter waiting time than if they were waiting for a deceased donor kidney transplant alone
