Purpose: Portal venous drainage of pancreatic transplant appears more physiologic compared to systemic venous drainage. However, present data does not support the superiority of one technique over the other. The study purpose was to evaluate outcomes in vascularized pancreas transplantation (PTx) with enteric exocrine drainage based on technique of venous delivery.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 231 simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants (SPKTs) performed at our center between 7/2003 – 7/2019 and identified 27 that were performed with systemic venous (iliac vein) and enteric exocrine (systemic-enteric [S-E]) drainage. These 27 patients were compared to 27 case controls with portal venous and enteric exocrine drainage matched for recipient age, gender, race, and date of transplant. 

Results: The 2 groups were well-matched .Indications for S-E drainage were central obesity/thickened mesentery (10), unfavorable vascular anatomy (11), or surgeon preference (6). The S-E drainage group was characterized byslightly more patients ≥ 80 kg (44% S-E versus 26% P-E), with C-peptide positive diabetes (30% S-E versus 18% P-E), and with diabetes onset at >20 years of age (41% S-E versus 26% P-E, all p=NS), suggesting a Type 2 diabetes phenotype. Although the incidence of early pancreas thrombosis (3.7% S-E versus 0% P-E), early relaparotomy (30% S-E versus 22% P-E), and mean initial length of hospital stay (11 days S-E versus 8 days P-E) were numerically higher in S-E versus P-E SPKTs, none of these differences were significant. With a mean follow-up of 5 years in both groups, respective one and 3-year patient survival (100% and 96% S-E vs 100% and 100% P-E), kidney graft survival (100% and 96% S-E vs 100% and 89% P-E), and pancreas graft survival (96% and 96% S-E vs 100% and 100% P-E) rates were comparable.

Conclusions: The method of venous delivery of insulin following PTx does not appear to influence medium-term outcomes in SPKT with enteric exocrine drainage.