Best Doctors in India for Pancreas Transplant
Best Hospitals in India for Pancreas Transplant
Hospital Highlights:
- Apollo Hospitals is a private healthcare group in India, with its headquarters based in Chennai. Established in 1983 by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, the group offers a wide range of medical treatments and services across various specialties.
- It is renowned for emphasizing innovation and utilizing cutting-edge medical technologies into patient treatment.
- Known as India’s first corporate hospital, Apollo Hospitals is often credited for pioneering the private healthcare revolution in the country.
- With clinics and hospitals located all throughout India, Apollo Hospitals is a nationwide healthcare organization. Its presence can also be found in foreign countries.
- Preventive health examinations, medical and surgical treatment, and diagnostic centres are just a few of the services that the Apollo group provides.
- The group has several centres of expertise, including Cardiac Sciences, Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Emergency Care, Cancer Care, and Organ Transplantation.
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- RIMC is a multi-specialty hospital in a sprawling area of 36 acres located in Chromepet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
- The facility has 450 beds including 130 critical care beds, 9 operating rooms, modern reference laboratories and radiology services, and is conveniently located near road, rail and air transportation.
- RIMC is led and managed by world-renowned physicians committed to healthcare.
- RIMC offers the broadest range of clinical care, education, and research. The hospital offers state-of-the-art technology and modern treatment facilities designed to provide health care at an affordable cost.
- Rela Institute is driven by patient needs, comfort and confidence.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh is a multi-super specialty hospital that strives to provide world-class patient care by leaving no stone unturned.
- Fortis, Shalimar Bagh, with 262 beds and a 7.34-acre footprint, provides the best level of medical care through its team of doctors, nurses, technicians, and management professionals.
- City: Bengaluru, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 2007, the Apollo Hospitals Bangalore is a 300-bed multispecialty hospital situated in Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore.
- Equipped with the state-of-the-art technology, it is a leading hospital dedicated to providing healthcare needs to patients with compassion and expertise.
- It is the first hospital to have completed the highest number of Robot Assisted Heart Surgeries in India.
- Over the years, it has successfully conducted some of the rarest medical procedures such as spinal angiolipoma excision, autologous chondrocyte implantations, and tibial tuberosity shift with MPSL reconstruction.
- The Apollo Hospitals Bangalore has the reputation of performing the greatest series of airway stents in the country.
- Additionally, the hospital is known for providing comprehensive treatment in specialties such as gastroenterology, urology, gynecology, oncology, colorectal surgery, etc.
- The “The Minimal Access Surgery Centre” (MASC), one of Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore’s premier Centres of Excellence, is devoted to the use of minimally invasive surgical procedures.
- In 2013, THE WEEK-A C Nielsen, Best Hospital Survey ranked Apollo Hospitals Bangalore as the 2nd best multi-speciality hospital in Bangalore.
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Gleneagles Global Hospital The 450-bed facility comprises of 17-stories, housing state-of-the-art infrastructure, and advanced medical care facilities.
- The hospital offers end-to-end clinical, surgical, and diagnostic services. It is equipped with a team of eminent medical professionals aided by qualified nurses and medical staff
- The Hospital offers advanced Endoscopic procedures, Hepatobiliary and Liver Surgeries, Surgical and Medical Gastroenterology, Bariatric Surgery, and Robotic surgery.
- The hospital is a center of excellence for Orthopedics, Joint Replacement, Knee Replacement, and Hip Replacement surgery.
- City: Hyderabad, India
Hospital Highlights:
- CARE Hospitals were established in the year 2000, by CARE Group.
- The multispecialty hospital has 435 beds, including 120 critical care beds, with an annual inflow of 180000 outpatients and 16,000 in-patients.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Nephrology, and Urology.
- The hospital has the first dual source, 128 slice CT scanner (for high precision cardiac imaging) – the first of its kind in south India.
- The hospital offers a wide range of accommodation facilities for the convenience of its varied patient base, ranging from general wards to super deluxe rooms.
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Mulund is a 315-bed multi-speciality tertiary care hospital with five JCI accreditations that offers a wide variety of diagnostic and treatment services. The Fortis Hospital in Mulund delivers patient-centred treatment with cutting-edge technology, highly skilled and experienced surgeons, and paramedical staff.
- This institution houses Maharashtra’s largest multi-organ transplant centre. It is also the first heart transplant centre in western India to conduct 100 or more consecutive heart transplants in under four years. It is the only hospital in the city to have multi-organ transplants and has handled the youngest patient for angioplasty. Fortis Hospital Mulund now boasts the first advanced surgical robot in central Mumbai.
- Cardiology and heart surgery, urology, nephrology, neurosciences, orthopaedics, digestive care, emergency and critical care, and maternity care are among the services provided by the hospital.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Manipal Hospitals, Dwarka, is a super-specialty hospital in Dwarka, New Delhi, which is a part of Manipal Hospitals Group.
- The hospital aims to provide the best treatment on par with international standards at a fraction of the cost.
- Equipped with 380 beds, the hospital is also one of the new age hospitals which are equipped fully with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge technology as well as the latest and advanced clinical practices. The hospital also has 13 modular Operation theatres with 118 beds which are solely meant for critical care.
- The hospital comprises internationally acclaimed doctors and highly professional and experienced hospital and medical staff who are able to provide preventive, therapeutic, and diagnostic services all under one roof.
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Located in Chennai, India, MGM Healthcare is a top multispecialty hospital that provides all medical services under one roof.
- Since its founding in 2019, MGM Healthcare has quickly become a leading national referral centre, creating several innovative flagship initiatives.
- MGM Healthcare combines next-generation medical and digital technologies to provide better patient results.
- With 12 centres of excellence, more than 400 inpatient beds, 100 intensive care unit beds, and 24/7 emergency care, MGM Healthcare leaves no chance in redefining the patient experience in Chennai.
- MGM Healthcare boasts 250+ expert doctors across 30+ departments, including Cardiology, Pulmonology, Neurology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and more.
- They house 12 specialized Centres of Excellence, including Neurosciences, Orthopaedics, and Multi-Organ Transplantation.
- Their team of doctors, nurses, and paramedics works together to give every patient individualized treatment.
Hospital Highlights:
- Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre is India’s premier multi-speciality tertiary care hospital and has been recognised as a global medical excellence centre.
- Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre has built an unrivalled level of trust with its patients over the years, thanks to a solid foundation that comprises cutting-edge facilities, the best medical competence, research, education, and charity endeavours.
- The hospital is quite proud of the fact that it now serves patients from all kinds of backgrounds, not just from the United States but from all around the world.
- The hospital has a total of 323 beds, one of the largest Intensive Care Units (ICUs), 12 Operation Theatres with modern amenities, over 300 consultants, and almost 1,800 personnel.
Pancreas Transplant
Pancreas transplant is a surgical procedure where a healthy pancreas is placed from a donor into a person whose pancreas no longer work properly. A pancreas transplant is often performed as a last resort and it has become a key treatment for people suffering from type 1 diabetes. This procedure is also sometimes carried out for people who need insulin therapy and suffer from type 2 diabetes, though this is less common.
The transplant is performed with the aim to restore normal blood glucose levels to your body. The transplanted pancreas can produce insulin for managing blood glucose levels.
This procedure is generally performed for people who are suffering from diabetes. It is generally not used to treat people with other conditions, though it is rarely used to treat certain types of cancer.
Process
A pancreas transplant can help in restoring normal insulin production and improving blood sugar control in people suffering from diabetes. However, it is not considered a standard treatment. In some cases, the side effects of anti-rejection medications can be serious.
Doctors can consider this procedure if their patients suffer from the following conditions:
- Type 1 diabetes that is not controllable with standard treatment
- Consistently poor blood sugar control
- Severe kidney damage
- Frequent insulin reactions
- Type 2 diabetes associated with low insulin resistance as well as low insulin production
Types
A pancreas transplant can be of multiple types:
Pancreas transplant alone- People suffering from diabetes and having early or no kidney disease are generally considered candidates for a pancreas transplant alone. A pancreas transplant surgery involves the placement of a healthy pancreas into a recipient whose pancreas is not functioning properly anymore.
Combined kidney-pancreas transplant- Surgeons are able to perform combined kidney-pancreas transplants for people having diabetes who are also having or are at risk of kidney failure. In such cases, the pancreas transplants are done at the same time as the kidney transplants.
This method can give you a healthy kidney and pancreas, which will most likely not contribute to diabetes-related kidney damage in the future.
Pancreas-after-kidney transplant– For people who are facing a long wait for a donor kidney and a donor pancreas to become available, a kidney transplant might be recommended at first if a living or deceased-donor kidney is available.
After the patient recovers from the kidney transplant surgery, they can later receive a pancreas transplant once a donor pancreas is available.
Pancreatic islet cell transplant- During this method, insulin-producing cells, i.e. islet cells that are taken from a deceased donor’s pancreas, will be injected into a vein that will be taking the blood to your liver. Generally, more than one injection of transplanted islet cells might be required.
Preparation
First, you will receive a medical evaluation at a transplant center before you undergo any kind of organ transplant. This will involve multiple tests, for determining your overall health, which includes a physical exam. Your medical history will be reviewed by a healthcare professional at the transplant center.
Before you undergo a pancreas transplant, there might be specific tests, which include:
- blood tests, such as an HIV test
- kidney function tests
- neuropsychological exams
- a chest X-ray
- studies for checking your heart function, such as an electrocardiogram or an echocardiogram
The evaluation process generally takes a month or two. It is done so that the doctor and healthcare team is able to determine whether you are a suitable candidate for the surgery and whether you will be able to handle the drug regiment which is required post-surgery.
Once it is determined, that you are a suitable candidate, then your name will be placed on the waiting list of the transplant center.
You will need to remember that different transplant centers are likely to have different kinds of preoperative protocols. These will vary further depending on the type of donor as well as the overall health of the recipient.
Procedure
The procedure is performed using general anesthesia and therefore you are unconscious throughout the procedure. The anesthetist can give you medication such as gas for breathing through a mask or may inject a liquid medication directly into one of your veins.
Once you are unconscious, your surgeon will first make an incision down the center of the abdomen. The surgeon will then place the new pancreas, as well as a small portion of the donor’s small intestine into your lower abdomen.
Next, the donor’s intestine is attached either to your small intestine or your bladder and the donor pancreas is then connected to blood vessels that supply blood to your legs. After this, your own pancreas is left in place for aiding digestion.
If you are undergoing a kidney transplant as well, then the blood vessels of the new kidney are attached to blood vessels in your abdomen’s lower part.
The new kidney’s ureter, which is the tube linking the kidney to the bladder, will next be connected to your bladder. Your kidneys are left in place unless they are causing any complications such as high blood pressure or infection.
Throughout the procedure, your blood pressure and blood oxygen will be monitored by the surgical team. The surgery can take around three to six hours. It will depend on whether you are having a pancreas transplant alone or a kidney transplant combined with a pancreas transplant.
After the procedure
Once the transplant surgery is complete, recipients are generally required to stay in the ICU for a few days so that he/she can be monitored for any complications. After this, he/she can move to a transplant recovery unit within the hospital.
Since a pancreas transplant involves various medications, a recipient’s drug therapy can require extensive monitoring, since they will need to take these drugs every day to prevent rejection of the new organ.
After a successful transplant, the new pancreas will be making the insulin required by your body and therefore you will not need insulin therapy to treat type 1 diabetes. However, even with the best possible match between the donor and you, your immune system will be trying to reject your new pancreas. This is why you will need anti-rejection medication so that your immune system can be suppressed. It is likely that these drugs can be required for the rest of your life. Medications that suppress the immune system generally makes your body more vulnerable to infection, and this is why your doctor might also prescribe antibacterial and antifungal medications.
Certain signs and symptoms can indicate your body rejecting your new pancreas:
- Belly pain
- Increased blood sugar levels
- Fever
- Excessive tenderness at the transplant site
- Decreased urination
- Vomiting
You will need to notify your transplant team immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.
Risks
Like any organ transplant, there is the possibility of a rejection of the new organ. It carries the risk of failure of the pancreas as well. Thanks to advancements in surgical and immunosuppressant medication therapy, the risk in this procedure have become low. In rare cases, there is also a risk of death.
The procedure itself carries several risks, such as bleeding, blood clots, as well as an infection. There is also a risk of hyperglycemia, which can occur during and right after the transplant.
The drugs which you will receive after the transplant can also lead to serious side effects. Some of these side effects include:
- high cholesterol
- thinning of the bones
- high blood pressure
- Hyperglycemia
- weight gain
- hair loss or excessive hair growth