Use of small donors (<28 kg) for pancreas transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
Small donors have long been considered a potential source of organs for simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) and pancreas transplantation alone (PTA). Our aim was to analyze our experience with SPK and PTA using small donors weighing <28 kg.


METHODS
Between September 2006 and October 2008, we performed 68 SPK, 3 PTA, and 3 pancreas after kidney transplantations (PAK). All recipients were adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus, including 8 who received small donor organs (<28 kg): 6 SPK and 2 PTA. We used 3 graft combinations for SPK: pancreas and single kidney; pancreas and en bloc kidneys; and en bloc dual kidney-pancreas. In contrast, we used conventional grafts for PTA. Mean weight among donors was 20.82 kg (range, 9.6-27 kg).


RESULTS
We observed neither delayed graft function nor mortality. At a follow-up of approximately 281 days, all patients were free of insulin and dialysis treatments.


CONCLUSIONS
Kidneys and pancreas from donors weighing <28 kg can be used in adult type 1 diabetic patients with excellent results. These small pediatric donors enabled us to enlarge the number of transplantations by 10.81%.
Illanes
H G
HG
Trasplante Reno-Pancreatico, Nephrology, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. hgillanes@gmail.com
Quarin
C M
CM
Maurette
R
R
Sánchez
N G
NG
Reniero
L
L
Casadei
D H
DH
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016035:Pancreas Transplantation / Q000502:physiology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome