The University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC) has officially begun performing pancreas transplants after years of laying the groundwork for this life-changing procedure. The first patient, 39-year-old Taylor Iceman, underwent the surgery on February 12 and reported feeling better within days.
Iceman was diagnosed with diabetes at age 13 and began dialysis a year and a half ago. He credits his doctor, Dr. Kunal Yadav, for explaining that a new pancreas solves the problem of diabetes affecting the transplanted kidney. The surgery, which involves removing and replacing both the kidney and pancreas from the same donor, provides a better quality organ than what Iceman would have received otherwise.
The program is expected to perform around 10 pancreas transplants per year, with waitlists averaging only two months, the shortest in the country. Dr. Yadav expects this to attract patients from across the nation, particularly those waiting for transplants with wait times of five to seven years.
Iceman’s experience was a major milestone for UTMC, marking the first pancreas transplant in over 15 years. With successful surgeries like Iceman’s underway, UTMC is poised to revolutionize care for patients with diabetes and kidney disease.
Source: https://www.13abc.com/2025/03/19/utmc-begins-pancreas-transplant-program