Patient Safety at Ohio State
During this time of public health concern, many appointments for transplant care may take place via telehealth wherever possible and appropriate. You can also request a telehealth or video visit by contacting your provider. For all in-person visits, you can feel confident that our locations are safe. We've taken significant measures to minimize the risk of the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our patients are protected. Learn more by visiting our patient safety page.
Total Pancreatectomy and Auto Islet Transplantation
One of the most painful conditions, chronic pancreatitis, can be eliminated by a surgical procedure called total pancreatectomy and islet auto transplantation (TPIAT). This specialized procedure can significantly reduce, or eliminate, the pain of pancreatitis, particularly when other medical and surgical treatment options have failed. The Comprehensive Transplant Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is the only location in central Ohio with the expertise to perform this procedure.
TPIAT is a two-part surgery. First, the pancreas (which is diseased and causing great pain for the patient) is removed in a procedure called a total pancreatectomy. Secondly, before the pancreas is discarded, the working islet cells are extracted from the pancreas and inserted back into the patient's liver. With the removal of the pancreas, the patient becomes a surgically-induced diabetic. However, because the islet cells placed in the liver can produce insulin, many patients live a normal life without insulin dependence. Also, since the patient’s own islets are used, there is no risk of rejection and no need for immunosuppression medications.
Why choose Ohio State for your total pancreatectomy and islet auto transplant (TPIAT)?
The Comprehensive Transplant Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is one of the largest organ transplant programs in the nation. Over 10,000 organ transplantations have been performed here since 1967.
Experience:
- The only institution in central Ohio, and one of a small number in the nation, with an FDA-approved isolation laboratory for pancreatic auto islet transplantation, which ensures that the process is done to the highest standards.
- A National Pancreas Foundation Center for pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer since 2014. This designation recognizes premier healthcare facilities that focus on multidisciplinary treatment of the “whole” patient to enhance the best possible outcomes, improve quality of life and advance research.
- Active member of the Collaborative Islet Transplant Registry (CITR) since 2008. Sponsored by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the mission of CITR is to expedite progress and promote safety in islet cell transplantation.
Commitment: Our multidisciplinary team works together to optimize patient outcomes. This includes gastroenterologists, transplant surgeons, endocrinologists, transplant psychologists, social workers and an extensive support team, each addressing individual factors that impact transplantation success. Always interested in the next breakthrough, our disease specialists also participate in clinical trials for pancreas disease and islet transplantation outcomes that are sponsored by the National Institute of Health.
Proven Success: Ohio State performed its first auto islet transplant in 2008, so we’ve gained the important insight and experience needed to successfully prepare, treat and support our patients before, during and after the surgery.