Apr 30 2011
Available for expert commentary on the latest research findings presented at the 2011 American Transplant Congress (ATC) in Philadelphia, April 30 to May 4, is Dr. Sandip Kapur, chief of transplant surgery and director of kidney and pancreas transplant programs at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, and a leading authority on transplantation.
The following are some notable research studies by Dr. Kapur and colleagues being presented at the meeting:
- Excellent Outcomes Shown for Pancreas Transplantation in Older Patients
- Excellent Outcomes for Pancreas Transplantation in Underweight and Obese Patients
Pancreas transplantation remains an important option for patients with Type 1 diabetes. Given the metabolic problems associated with diabetes, pancreas transplant candidates may struggle to maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI). As a result, extreme BMIs are sometimes encountered with this condition. Dr. Kapur and his co-investigators report their experience of pancreas transplantation outcomes according to BMI categories. They found that underweight and obese patients have excellent outcomes after pancreas transplantation. With careful selection, these patients should not have an increased risk of postoperative or infectious complications. Furthermore, extremes of BMI do not limit transplant success or patient survival.
Poster Session: Pancreas Transplant: All Topics. Monday, May 2, 2011, 5:30 p.m. Hall B.
- Improved Recovery for Kidney Donors Undergoing Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Donor Nephrectomy (LESS-DN) Compared With Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy (LDN)
Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) has become the standard of care for kidney retrieval at high-volume transplant centers. Recently, laparoendoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN) has emerged with the potential benefits of improved cosmesis and convalescence, and decreased morbidity. In the LESS-DN procedure, a natural orifice (the umbilicus or belly button) is used as the single incision site through which the entire donor nephrectomy is performed. Dr. Kapur, along with NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell surgeon Dr. Joseph Del Pizzo and their co-investigators, describe their experience with 100 consecutive patients undergoing LESS-DN. They report that patients undergoing LESS-DN benefitted from improved donor recovery outcomes and smaller incisions compared with LDN, despite longer operative times.
Concurrent Session 49: Surgical and Utilization Issues. Monday, May 2, 2011, 4 p.m. Room 108 AB.
Source: New York- Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center/Weill Cornell Medical College
Due to improvements in the management of diabetes, there are an increasing number of older candidates for pancreas transplantation. Recent studies have been equivocal about outcomes for older patients, but, on the positive side, none have shown an increase in acute rejection or complication rates. In their retrospective review, Dr. Kapur and his co-investigators found that pancreas transplantation in older patients is safe and feasible, with excellent graft and patient outcomes. They report that with proper patient selection, older patients can safely receive a pancreas transplant without an increased risk of complications, infections requiring hospitalization, or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. Furthermore, these patients also benefit from a lower rejection rate over the lifespan of the transplant.
Concurrent Session 19: Pancreas Transplantation: Clinical Management and Complications. Sunday, May 1, 2011, 4:12 p.m. Room 113 B.
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