Abstract
Pancreas transplantation is an exciting therapy which has been used for several decades
in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. It can be performed as either a whole organ
or islet cell transplant. The role of interventional radiologists in the management
of whole organ transplants is evolving and includes treatment of postoperative complications
and graft biopsy to evaluate for rejection. An in-depth understanding of the transplant
anatomy and variations is a fundamental tool in performing these interventions successfully.
Islet cell transplantation entails delivery of purified donor pancreatic islet cells
into the recipient portal vein. Because of their expertise in image-guided access
to the portal system, interventional radiologists play a crucial role in this procedure.
The purpose of this article is to review the indications, anatomy, complications,
and outcomes of both whole organ and islet cell pancreas transplants, followed by
a discussion of the role of interventional radiologists in each procedure.
Keywords
pancreas transplant - whole organ pancreas transplantation - islet cell pancreas transplantation
