Pancreas transplantation for diabetes mellitus: a guide to recipient selection and optimum immunosuppression.

Between 1966 and 1997, over 10 000 pancreas transplants were performed worldwide, 88% of these being simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplantations (SKPTs). The overall 1-year patient survival rate exceeds 90%, and the graft survival (complete insulin independence) rate is 80%. SKPT should be regarded as the treatment of choice in carefully selected patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent; IDDM) diabetes mellitus and advanced nephropathy, because of its ability to offer superior glycaemic control and an improved quality of life.