title: Transplantation of fetal pancreatic microfragments via the portal vein to a diabetic patient.
abstract: Human fetal pancreas preserved in culture was used as a donor organ in a 45-yr-old man with diabetes of 14-yr duration complicated by severe retinopathy and nephropathy. Renal failure had been successfully treated by a cadaveric renal transplant 2 yr earlier. Six fetal pancreases, obtained within 30 min of delivery after prostaglandin-induced abortion at 14--20 wk of gestation, were minced and placed in tissue culture for 3 h at the earliest and 15 days at the longest duration. The cultures were harvested 2--3 h before transplantation. Approximately 3 ml of tissue was infused into a right portal vein branch. Azathioprine was continued at 2 mg/kg and prednisolone increased from 10 mg to 100 mg/day on the day of transplantation and gradually reduced to 25 mg/day. Only two doses of antilymphocytic globulin were given because of a severe reaction. During the 40 days since transplantation, insulin requirements have not changed, but C-peptide has appeared in the urine, suggesting function of the transplanted tissue.
mesh_terms: D002096:C-Peptide / Q000652:urine; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000601:surgery; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation; D011169:Portal Vein; D011247:Pregnancy; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin