Tampa General Hospital performed the world's first in-human pancreas transplant with a new technology that preserved the organ.
The October operation, led by transplant surgeon Matthew Witt, MD, utilized the Paragonix PancreasPak System to preserve and monitor the donor pancreas for almost 10 hours during transportation, according to a system news release. A 40-year-old patient who had Type 1 diabetes received the transplant through an eight-hour operation, Florida Politics reported Jan. 7.
"Our transplant team at Tampa General continues to achieve remarkable firsts like this one, which is another example of how we relentlessly innovate in order to provide patients with world-class healthcare," Dr. Witt said in a Tampa General news release. "For our patients who need a pancreas transplant, this transformative technology is a milestone given the unique challenges associated with transporting this particular organ."
The pancreas is vulnerable to damage during transportation with the traditional methods of a plastic cooler and crushed ice. The new technology is the first commercially available hypothermic preservation system for pancreases transportation. It retains an optimal temperature for the organ's survival and transmits real-time temperature and location data to the transplant team, the release said.