Patient Information
The current aim of the ITP is to offer islet transplantation to patients in Australia who have severe unstable diabetes. Experience over the last seven years from over 40 islet centres across the world has shown that islet transplantation can be effective in stabilising blood glucose control, thus providing relief from recurrent severe low blood glucose.
What is an Islet Transplant
Islet transplantation involves isolating healthy islets from a donor pancreas and then infusing them through a small tube into a transplant recipient with type 1 diabetes, usually via the portal vein of the liver. Once implanted, the islets attach to blood vessels and begin to make and release insulin.
Sophisticated techniques are used to isolate the islets from the rest of the pancreatic tissue and to maximize the quality and quantity of islets available for transplantation. A combination of immunosuppressive drugs keep the immune system from destroying the transplanted islets.
In 2000, the development of the ground-breaking Edmonton Protocol significantly increased the success rate of islet transplants, proving that the procedure can:
• Restore normal blood sugar levels without the need for insulin injections.
• Significantly improve quality of life
• Reduce dangerous blood sugar lows (hypoglycaemia)
• Reduce the risk of long-term complications such as blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and amputations
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