pISSN 3022-6783
eISSN 3022-7712

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Korean J Transplant 2023; 37(Suppl 1): S103-S103

Published online November 15, 2023

https://doi.org/10.4285/ATW2023.F-6862

© The Korean Society for Transplantation

Endocrine and exocrine function replacement by pancreas transplant alone: a case report on the oldest recipient in Korea

Jiung Ryu1, Junyeong Moon1, Byunghyun Choi2

1Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea
2Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea

Correspondence to: Byunghyun Choi
E-mail: gmoolpop@gmail.com

Abstract

In general, pancreas transplantation alone (PTA) is contraindicated for recipients older than 60 years. However, it could be performed if the recipient was healthy enough to undergo transplantation and the benefits of transplantation are evident. Here, we present a case of successful pancreas transplantation in Korea's oldest patient. A 71-year-old male who was diagnosed with intraductal palliary mucinous neoplasm of pancreas visited to outpatient clinic. Through a total pancreatectomy and biopsy, an intraductal papillary mucinous tumor without malignant transformation was identified. Following surgery, he complained of upper abdominal pain, dyspepsia, and disordered blood sugar control. In 19 months, his weight decreased from 75 kg to 52 kg, and his HbA1c level rose from 5.8% to 7.8%. Due to the severity of his symptoms and the inconvenience of exogenous insulin treatment, he underwent PTA. One year after transplantation, his HbA1c level had normalized, decreasing from 7.9% before pancreas transplantation alone to 5.2% 1 year after transplantation. The recipient had no dyspepsia symptoms without the use of digestive medications. And the recovered weight was 64 kg. The PTA is an option for treatment not only for insulin-dependent diabetes, but also for exocrine dysfunction. And the biologic age of the recipient may be more significant than the chronological age in pancreas transplants alone.