Transplant therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is a devastating disease affecting more than one million patients in the United States alone. While advances have been made in exogenous insulin therapy, pancreas transplantation remains the only available treatment that restores a euglycemic state, a consistently normal glycosylated hemoglobin level, and functioning biofeedback regulatory control. New immunosuppressive regimens and improvements in surgical technique have resulted in improved patient and pancreas graft survival rates. Recent advances in islet cell purification and immunosuppressive therapies aimed at reducing rejection have renewed interest in islet cell transplantation.