Complications

Some complications from pancreas transplant surgery include:

• vascular thrombosis (clotting of blood vessels)
• hemorrhage (bleeding)
• pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• infection

• Diabetes or high blood sugar counts
  These may occur when taking prednisone. Your blood sugar is checked whenever your blood is drawn. Symptoms of high blood sugars may include feeling extremely thirsty, weak, dizzy, having blurry vision, and urinating large amounts. If diabetes occurs, a patient may be required to be on a diabetic diet, take a pill, or take insulin shots to regulate his/her blood sugar. Your transplant team works closely with the diabetic center to best manage your blood sugar, in case this becomes a problem.

• High blood pressure (hypertension)
  Some transplant recipients will get high blood pressure from being on cyclosporine. A combination of weight control, regular walking or other exercise, and medication will keep your blood pressure in an acceptable range. Generally speaking, an acceptable range is where the systolic (or top number) is less than 140 and the diastolic (or bottom number) is less than 85.

• Kidney failure
  Taking some immunosuppressant medications can sometimes cause kidney damage. This is why your Creatinine (Cr) level is monitored every time you come into clinic. You may not feel differently even when your kidneys are not functioning normally. However, you may have increased swelling in your ankles, feet or hands.

• Lymphoproliferative disease (cancer)
  Approximately 3% of individuals who receive transplants develop lymphoproliferative disease, which is cancer involving the lymph nodes. This may or may not be related to a viral infection called Epstein-barr virus. It may be responsive to decreased immunosuppressive medications, acyclovir, or chemotherapy.