Islet Autotransplantation in Diabetic Patients

Painful chronic pancreatitis (CP) is the main indication for analgesic pancreatectomy with simultaneous islet autotransplantation to prevent postoperative diabetes mellitus (DM). However, advanced CP may lead to insulin secretion disorders and DM. There are doubts as to whether islet autotransplantation in such cases is an appropriate procedure. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of islet autotransplantation in patients with CP with already diagnosed with DM. Between 2008 and 2015, at the Department of General and Transplantation Surgery, patients with CP and unsatisfying pain treatment with positive fasting C-peptide ( > 0.3 ng/mL) level were qualified for simultaneous pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation. Eight procedures were performed. In 5 cases patients had DM diagnosed prior to the procedure (DM group n = 5). Three patients without DM diagnosed prior to surgery were the control group (n = 3). There were no cases of procedure-related deaths in either group. Pain relief without analgesics was reported by all patients. Good islet function was observed in 80% (4/5) of the DM group vs 100% (3/3) in the control group (P = ns). Brittle diabetes was diagnosed in 1 patient in the DM group as a result of islet primary non-function. Patients with CP-related severe pain and DM patients with positive C-peptides should be considered for pancreatectomy and islet autotransplantation. •There was a lack of statistically relevant differences between a group of patients with regular carbohydrate balance who underwent pancreas resection and pancreatic islet autotransplantation because of painful chronic pancreatitis and a group of patients diagnosed with diabetes before the start of surgical treatment.•Treatment produced positive results in a specific population of patients with a significant predominance of alcoholic etiology of chronic pancreatitis who underwent pancreas resection and pancreatic islet autotransplantation.