Pancreatic autotransplantation following resection.

A patient with recurrent pancreatitis was treated by near-total pancreatectomy. The tail of the pancreas, together with the splenic artery and vein, was transplanted into the thigh, with anastomoses of the splenic vessels to the femoral vessels. Two months after operation simultaneously drawn blood samples from both femoral veins showed elevated insulin on the grafted side. Two years after operation the patient is free of symptoms and is not diabetic.