Pancreas Transplant Services

A pancreas transplant is a surgical procedure to cure diabetes by using a healthy pancreas from a deceased donor. It is considered for people with diabetes who have severe complications or are unable to manage their diabetes with other treatments.

UPMC offers multiple types of pancreas transplants, including:

• Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant.
• Pancreas-after-kidney (PAK) transplant.
• Pancreas transplant alone (PTA).

Start Your Transplant Journey

What Is A Pancreas Transplant?

 A pancreas transplant is a surgical procedure to cure diabetes by using a healthy pancreas from a donor. It may be an option for people with diabetes who have severe complications or are unable to manage their diabetes with other treatments.

What Conditions Do We Treat? 

We treat people with type 1 diabetes and select people with type 2 diabetes who have serious complications. 

Who’s Eligible for Pancreas Transplant?

Those considered for a pancreas transplant include:

• People with type 1 diabetes who have serious complications.
• People with severe hypoglycemia unawareness or severe blood sugar management issues.
• People up to age 55 who are not responsive to other treatments.
• Select individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Patients with type 1 diabetes who have normal kidney function and severe hypoglycemia (Clarke score greater than or equal to 4) usually benefit from a pancreas transplant alone.

Patients with kidney failure referred to our center by their nephrologists are typically candidates for either simultaneous pancreas-kidney or pancreas-after-kidney transplants.

Benefits of pancreas transplant

A pancreas transplant often slows down or even reverses secondary complications from diabetes, including eye disease, vascular disease, gastrointestinal problems, and neuropathy.

What are the risks associated with pancreas transplant?

Like any transplant surgery, risks associated with pancreas transplant can include infection, bleeding, organ rejection, and complications related to immunosuppressive medication.

What Pancreas Transplant Services Do We Offer? 

UPMC offers multiple types of pancreas transplants, including:

• Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplant — This type of transplant helps people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes whose kidneys are failing — or have failed — and who need both a new kidney and pancreas. Surgeons transplant both the kidney and pancreas during one surgery.
• Pancreas-after-kidney (PAK) transplant — People who remain diabetic after a kidney transplant may receive a pancreas-after-kidney transplant to prevent any future damage to the new kidney. Surgeons transplant the pancreas following a successful kidney transplant.
• Pancreas transplant alone (PTA) — People who have type 1 diabetes with severe, life-threatening complications may be eligible for a pancreas transplant alone. 

What Can I Expect? 

UPMC accepts self-referrals and physician referrals. 

What happens after your referral to UPMC's Pancreas Transplant Program?

Scheduling your pancreas transplant evaluation

Our team will schedule an appointment for your transplant evaluation. Before your appointment, our experts will review your medical history and prior testing to determine if you may be a suitable candidate for a pancreas transplant.

At your pancreas transplant evaluation

At your pancreas transplant evaluation, you will meet with our medical and surgical transplant teams to discuss your disease and the short- and long-term details of transplantation. Your care team may also order tests and perform exams to learn more about your condition.

After your pancreas transplant evaluation

A multidisciplinary group of experts will review your case and decide if a pancreas transplant is your best option. We'll let you know our decision within several weeks of your evaluation.

If you qualify for a pancreas transplant, we will arrange your surgery at UPMC Montefiore in Pittsburgh. 

What is the average wait time for a pancreas transplant?

The average wait time for an SPK is one to two years; for a PAK or PTA, the wait is two to three years. However, your wait time may vary depending on donor organ availability and other factors.

Your pancreas transplant team

Your pancreas transplant team may include:

• Endocrinologists — Treat hormone disorders that affect your endocrine system, including diabetes.
• Gastroenterologists — Diagnose, treat, and manage pancreas conditions.
• Nurse practitioners — Work closely with doctors, nurses, and staff to extend the care provided by doctors. Nurse practitioners participate in the care of transplant candidates and recipients of pancreas transplants.
• Pharmacists — Transplant pharmacists assist with medication management and medication education before and after transplant.
• Research transplant coordinators — Transplant nurses who coordinate and oversee patients who participate in research protocols for studies and clinical trials.
• Transplant coordinators — Registered nurses who provide education and guidance before and after your transplant.
• Transplant financial coordinators — Look at your insurance coverage for transplant and medications after transplant. They may also be able to make recommendations for additional coverage to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses after transplant.
• Transplant social workers — Help you review your social, financial, and support systems to make sure that your transplant can be a successful experience. They will also be available after transplant to help you get the medicines you need and address other social concerns you may have.
• Transplant surgeons — Perform pancreas transplant surgeries at UPMC.

Why Choose UPMC for Pancreas Transplant Care?

 When you choose UPMC for pancreas transplant care, you will receive:

• Access to experienced, board-certified specialists — As one of the nation’s most active and experienced transplant programs, UPMC has vast experience in kidney, pancreas, and combined kidney-pancreas transplants. 
• Outstanding transplant results — UPMC is among the leading centers in the United States for pancreas transplant volume while maintaining outcomes comparable to national averages.
• Expert care for complex cases — Our talented team of pancreas transplant surgeons continues to gain vast clinical skills and expertise in the field, allowing them to accept many high-risk patients that other transplant centers may decline.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-12-09.