When a pancreas becomes available, the transplant coordinator will call the patient immediately. This could happen at any time during the day or night. It’s extremely important for the transplant team to have an up-to-date phone number so the patient can be reached without delay.

When a compatible pancreas becomes available, the transplant recipient is contacted by the nurse coordinator and admitted to the hospital. When the patient is admitted, he or she undergoes a complete physical examination to rule out any new medical concerns since the patient was last seen. The exam also ensures that the patient is ready for surgery. The patient begins to take immunosuppressant medication. A kidney and pancreas transplant takes between five and eight hours. The recipient’s own organs are left in place and the new organs are placed in the lower abdomen.