Medical teams at the Toulouse University Hospital (CHU) in France have successfully performed a combined kidney and pancreatic islet cell transplant in a patient with type 1 diabetes and kidney failure. This innovative procedure offers hope for patients with complex conditions who may not be eligible for traditional organ transplantation.
The Toulouse University Hospital team achieved what they describe as a “national first” by successfully performing a double transplant combining a kidney and pancreatic islet cells in a patient with type 1 diabetes and kidney failure, according to reports. The unprecedented procedure in France utilized organs from a single deceased donor following cardiac arrest, the hospital stated.
The patient had been living with type 1 diabetes complicated by conclude-stage chronic kidney disease and had been relying on dialysis for several years. Although a combined kidney-pancreas transplant is typically considered in such cases, the patient faced significant vascular constraints that made this option unfeasible. Doctors then opted for an alternative approach: a kidney transplant combined with a transplant of “pancreatic islets,” cells from the pancreas capable of producing insulin.
The operation was further distinguished by the donor being classified as “Maastricht 3,” meaning they died after cardiac arrest following a decision to withdraw life support. In these cases, organs and cells are deprived of blood flow for a period after death, unlike donors with brain death, which complicates the procedure and requires swift intervention.
Encouraging Results
The success of the transplant relied on the coordinated efforts of multiple medical teams, according to the hospital. After procurement, the pancreas was sent to the University Hospital of Montpellier, where a specialized team isolated the Langerhans islets. Simultaneously, surgeons at the Toulouse University Hospital performed the kidney transplant, utilizing an “ilio-femoral bypass” to ensure adequate blood flow to the graft. The pancreatic islet cells were then injected “into the liver” of the patient by an interventional radiology team.
The hospital reports the results are “very encouraging”: the patient no longer requires dialysis and is now producing some of their own insulin, reducing their insulin injections and stabilizing their blood sugar levels. “Being able to prevent patients from needing dialysis and from being diabetic is truly wonderful and a daily satisfaction,” said Dr. Laure Esposito, a nephrologist at Rangueil Hospital.
