.“As survival among type 1 diabetes patients increases, more patients are now reaching the stage where they need both pancreas and kidney transplants,” Dr Krishna said.A 30-year-old man, who had been living with diabetes for almost 20 years and had been on dialysis for the last two, got a new lease of life as AIIMS Delhi performed a simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant from a deceased donor. This was the first such procedure at the institute after 18 years.The complex, life-saving surgery saved the patient, who had been suffering from end-stage renal disease as a result of his long-standing Type 1 diabetes mellitus, a condition where both kidney failure and insulin-dependent diabetes severely impact quality of life. The donor was a 50-year-old deceased brain-dead donor from PGI Rohtak.According to Dr Asuri Krishna, professor, department of surgery at AIIMS Delhi, the transplant offers the dual benefit of restoring kidney function while also achieving insulin independence, thereby significantly improving long-term outcomes. “The patient now requires only a very small amount of insulin, mainly because of steroid medicines used for immunosuppression after the transplant. His quality of life has improved significantly. He was unable to walk before the surgery but now he can without much of a struggle,” he said.A pancreas-kidney transplant (often called a Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney or SPK transplant) is a surgical procedure that transplants a healthy pancreas and a kidney into a patient at the same time. It is primarily performed on individuals with advanced chronic kidney disease or kidney failure caused by Type 1 diabetes. Both organs are usually obtained from a single deceased donor, although sometimes a living donor provides the kidney while the pancreas comes from a deceased donor.“The goal is to provide a working pancreas that produces insulin (reversing diabetes) and a working kidney (stopping the need for dialysis). The surgery offers a dual advantage because the same medicines used to prevent rejection after a kidney transplant also work for the pancreas transplant. This procedure is life-changing because many patients do not require insulin shots after surgery. Diabetes-related complications are almost nil,” said Dr Krishna.The case assumes significance because it is yet another example of how organ donation can save lives of critical patients. “Such a surgery had not been performed at AIIMS for 18 years because organ donation, especially in north India, is very low. Second, there is a shortage of trained transplant surgeons. After the first surgery in 2008, some transplant surgeons left the institute. New surgeons had to be trained and suitable patients also had to be identified,” added Dr Krishna.According to Dr Krishna, simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation is considered the “gold standard” treatment for patients who have both type 1 diabetes and kidney failure. It offers the best outcomes for long-term survival, quality of life, and metabolic control compared to kidney transplantation alone. This procedure restores normal kidney function while also eliminating the need for insulin therapy by restoring endogenous insulin secretion. Studies have reported over 90 patient survival at one year, alongside good, long-term graft function.“As survival among type 1 diabetes patients increases, more patients are now reaching the stage where they need both pancreas and kidney transplants,” Dr Krishna said. Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Delhi AIIMSNew Delhi