Function of the duct-ligated canine pancreatic allograft.

Heterotopic transplantation of a duct-ligated canine pancreas was performed in 20 previously pancreatectomized, non-related recipient dogs. A technical procedure was elaborated for this grafting. It was found that early, fatal postoperative bleeding in the recipient could be avoided when the interval between pancreatectomy and transplantation was reduced from 7 to 2-4 days. The early endocrine function was studied in 15 surviving animals by determination of blood glucose and serum insulin during fasting and during glucose load. 24 h after transplantation the blood glucose values were normal and 4-8 days after transplantation the glucose tolerance was within normal limits. The serum insulin was on a supranormal level, also during glucose load. The early endocrine capacity of the transplanted duct-ligated pancreas after transplantation was found to be satisfactory, restoring the blood glucose in the pancreatectomized recipients to normal levels.