Pancreas

Patient brochure

Find information for patients and families to understand and navigate organ donation and transplantation below:

Questions and answers for transplant candidates about:

The pancreas

Functions of the pancreas

The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach. It makes insulin, which controls the use of blood sugar throughout the body. It also makes enzymes that are used to digest food.

Pancreas transplant procedures

A pancreas transplant may include either the whole pancreas or a pancreas segment. Whole organ transplants are far more common. Segmental transplants can be performed from a living donor. Many pancreas transplants also include transplantation of the duodenum.

Many people suffering from pancreas failure also have renal failure. For this reason, the kidney is often transplanted with the pancreas. In most cases a kidney-pancreas transplant is performed from a deceased donor. But some transplants have been performed using a living donor, with one kidney and a pancreas segment being donated.

Reasons for pancreas transplants