Small Donors, Big Impact: Optimizing Organ Utilization in Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation From Extra Small Pediatric Donors

Introduction

Simultaneous pancreas–kidney transplantation (SPK) is the preferred treatment for individuals with type-1 diabetes and end-stage renal disease. However, a limited supply of “Ideal Pancreas Donors” contributed to a growing disparity between available organs and recipients. Even though SPK outcomes from pediatric donors match those from adult donors, unclear guidelines on minimum age and weight criteria for extra small pediatric pancreas donors lead to hesitancy among several transplant centers to utilize these grafts due to concerns about inadequate islet mass, technical challenges, and increased risk of allograft thrombosis.

Methods

This report details the successful outcomes of SPK transplantations performed at the study center between December 2021 and January 2024, using four extra small pediatric brain-dead donors (ESPDs). Each donor was aged ≤5 years and weighed <20 kg.

Results

All SPK recipients achieved immediate posttransplant euglycemia without requiring insulin. None of the recipients experienced graft pancreatitis, graft thrombosis, allograft rejection, or required re-exploration. During a 5–27-month follow-up period, all ESPD recipients maintained optimal graft function, as evidenced by normal glucose tolerance tests and HbA1c (4.9%–5.2%), with 100% graft and patient survival.

Conclusion

This report examines the usage of ESPDs in SPK transplantation, highlighting their potential to expand the donor pool and reduce wait times in areas with scarce deceased organ donations, thereby increasing the number of available organs for transplantation with acceptable outcomes. Revising donor selection guidelines to reflect the diverse risk–benefit profiles of waitlisted individuals is crucial to addressing geographical disparities and reducing organ discard rates.