Belarus surgeons perform first pancreas-kidney transplantation

MINSK, June 15 (BelTA) – A combined pancreas-kidney transplant surgery has been carried out in Belarus for the first time, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian Health Ministry on June 14. The 42-year-old transplant patient suffered from insulin-dependent diabetes. Due to severe destruction of pancreas she developed several complications, including diabetic nephropathy and end-stage renal disease. Beginning August 2008, her life has been maintained by hemodialysis system. The surgery was carried out at Minsk clinical hospital No. 9 by a group of surgeons from this hospital and Minsk clinical hospital No. 4. The team of surgeons was led by Oleg Kalachik, Head of the National Research Centre for Neurology and Kidney Replacement Therapy. The specialists who took part in the surgery had received the relevant training in Great Britain and Germany. The transplantation lasted six hours. A day after the surgery the patient’s condition was stable; she was feeling as expected after such a surgery. The woman is conscious and is treated in the intensive care ward. Such transplant surgeries are among most rare ones. They are indicated only for people suffering from type 1 diabetes with renal failure. Taking into consideration the destructive affect of diabetes and renal failure on other organs, the average life expectancy of patients supported by hemodialysis is about five years. The transplantation prolongs their life by 20-25 years.

БЕЛТА