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April 22, 2005

Update on the Recent Islet Cell Transplant

All eyes are on the recipient of the first transplant of the insulin producing islet cells from a live donor. A healthy 56-year-old woman without diabetes donated half of her pancreas to her 27-year-old daughter in a ground breaking procudure.

By donating cells from her pancreas, a Japanese mother has ended her daughter's type 1 diabetes — at least for now — say the doctors who performed the transplant operation.

[snip]

The transplanted cells immediately started working. The daughter was weaned off insulin injections gradually; after 22 days, her body was able to detect blood sugar levels and make all the insulin she needed. She still doesn't need insulin injections and has "excellent" blood sugar control, say her doctors.

No one knows how long the results will last although researchers speculate the Islet cells could be effective for at least five years. There are, of course, ethical questions that remain related to the risk of donating.

Posted by Diabetologica at April 22, 2005 5:04 AM