Re:: TP, diabetes etc.

[Guest guest]

> I know that an ICT is always preferable to none but I am having to

> weigh up the chances of success for me with this procedure against

> the fact that there is one surgeon whom I would prefer to any

other.

Hi Fliss,

Yes, this is exactly why the decision is so " individual " , and each

patient's case is different. The most important component of any of

these decisions is that you must have complete trust and confidence

in your doctor/surgeon, and it sounds like you've got that - and for

good reason!

>My chances of success with

> ICT are very poor (atrophy, extensive calcifications

> throughout....very advanced pancreatitis with impaired glucose

> tolerance likely to turn very soon into diabetes) and this view

does

> actually coincide with what I have managed to read in some of Dr

> Sutherland's writing.

Yes, that is exactly right. A " minimum number " of islet cells must

be harvested in order for that to work (can't remember off-hand what

that number is), and it sounds like they probably would not be able

to get enough to make that a success at this point.

(BTW, Dr. Sutherland mentioned that his center in Minnesota USED to

be able to harvest islet cells from a pancreas that was shipped to

them from other medical centers, and then send them back to be

injected into the patient's liver. However, several years ago, the

Federal Drug Administration in this country took control over that,

and essentially made it impossible to be able to send those across

state lines in this country).

> Hereditary pancreatitis is covered in the top5plus5 library and the

> cancer risk seems to be around 40% over a lifetime...that's high!

I'd not seen that. I'll defnitely have to update my information!

THanks.

>The symposium downloads and your

> personal advice have been a godsend. If there is any way I can be

>at next year's symposium, I will be!

We hope to get to meet you in person someday as well. In the

meantime, keep us all informed about your decision process.

Cheers,

--Tull

Assistant Moderator

Pancreatitis Association, Int'l

Note: All comments and advice are personal opinion only, and should

not be substituted for a professional medical consultation