Re: Pancreatitis that is on going...info on TP/ICT please

[Guest guest]

> Some of the questions that I have ask the doctor regarding all this, he has

not given me clear answers to are: Each time I have had an attack did

permanent damage occur to my pancreas to make it weaker? What is next?

What is an Islet Cell Transplant? Has it helped any of you? Am I going to

always have this problem? Is this going to kill me?

Dear ,

To answer your specific questions:

Each time you have an attack or any inflamation it does cause further

damage to the pancreas. It is a chronic condition which does deteriorate over

time, but unless you have an acute attack with severe organ failure, which is

highly unlikely, chronic pancreatitis isn't going to kill you. I know people

who

have had the disease for 35 years or more and are still going strong. You are

always going to have the problem, unless you have a total pancreatectomy

with islet cell transplant. It's a surgical cure, but it's not suitable for

everyone.

In simple terms, an islet cell transplant is where they transplant the healthy

islet cells from the tail of your pancreas into your liver. The procedure is

done

as the surgical pancreatic specialist does a total pancreatectomy and

removes the damaged organ entirely, harvests the islets, and then transfers

them back into the liver. I believe the time in the operating room takes about

12 hours. The procedure is called a TP/ICT for short. This procedure is

done frequently now and we have several members here in this group that

have had it done successfully, most of them by Dr. Sutherland in Minnesota.

There are a handful of specialised doctors and facilities in the US that now do

the TP/ICT, which was invented and initiated by Dr. Sutherland.

Some people feel it's best to have this procedure done before other surgical

procedures are done and failed, and scar tissue and damage have occured.

As I said, many of our members have had the TP/ICT and I hope they will see

this message and respond to your questions. I changed the heading so that

it would catch their attention. As for myself, I've had CP for over three

years,

experienced pancreas burn out a year and a half ago, and am now a type 1

brittle diabetic. I still have two pseudocysts in my pancreas that sometimes

cause problems, but otherwise am doing the best I can with my CP and

diabetes.

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to

help, and I hope we can help you with your needs and support.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep

PAI

Note:

All comments or advice is based on personal experience or opinion, and

should not be substituted for consultation with a medical professional.