The pancreas is an organ, about 7 inches in length, that's located behind the stomach and below the liver. One of its main jobs is to make the hormone insulin, which the body needs to use glucose (sugar) from food properly. People who don't produce insulin have diabetes.

The standard treatment for diabetes is to take insulin to replace what the pancreas isn't producing. By carefully monitoring their blood sugar levels to achieve the correct insulin dosage, patients may prevent or slow the progression of many diabetes complications.

If standard treatments don’t work, pancreas transplantation may be an option. By restoring insulin production, a successful pancreas transplant can help patients:

  • Manage kidney complications from type 1 diabetes
  • Eliminate the need for insulin injections
  • Reduce or eliminate the need for dietary and activity restrictions
  • Reduce or eliminate the risk of severe low blood sugar levels