The doctor will order many tests to check blood glucose levels after the transplant, and insulin may be needed until control is achieved. The goal of islet transplantation is to infuse enough islets to control the blood glucose level without injections. Because good control of blood glucose can slow or prevent the progression of complications associated with diabetes, such as nerve or eye damage, a successful transplant may reduce the risk of these complications. But a transplant recipient will need to take drugs that stop the immune system from rejecting the transplanted islets. A physician can explain the potential risks of these drugs.
Rejection is the biggest problem with any transplant.
Immunosuppressive or antirejection drugs are needed to keep the transplanted islets functioning. Researchers do not fully know what long-term effects these drugs may have. Also, although the early results of the Edmonton Protocol are very encouraging, more research is needed to answer questions about how long the islets will survive and how often the transplantation procedure will be successful. Dacliximab is given intravenously right after the transplant and then discontinued. Sirolimus and tacrolimus, the two main drugs that keep the immune system from destroying the transplanted islets, must be taken for life.