Islet Cell Transplant
The FDA has recently approved the first pancreatic islet cell transplant for some type I diabetics. By way of clarification, type I diabetes is due to loss of the pancreatic islet cells and therefore a lack of insulin. Whereas; type II diabetes is due to insulin resistance because the islet cells are over producing insulin due to obesity.
Most type I diabetics can be treated with insulin, either by injection or continuous infusion. But in a small minority safe control cannot be established with insulin. It is this group of fragile diabetics where the transplant has value.
The islet cells are obtained from a single deceased donor pancreas and infused into the portal vein of the liver. Since they are from an unrelated donor, immunosuppressant drugs are required as in other organ transplants. So far, the procedure has had long term (>5 years) success in only 1/3 of recipients. But the concept is a novel one and improvements are likely to occur.