Pancreas is a small organ that is located in the lower part of the stomach. It lies just behind the abdomen. It functions by producing the insulin hormone which is responsible for regulating blood sugar level in the body and breaking down food into glucagon which is stored in the body. This glucagon is converted into glucose which is used by the body for energy and other purposes. Therefore, pancreatic transplant is done in patients with a malfunctioning pancreas.

Why is pancreatic transplant required?
Patients suffering from type I diabetes usually undergo a pancreatic transplant. Type I diabetes is characterized by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin, thereby leading to low blood sugar level. This type of diabetes occurs due to the malfunction of pancreatic beta cells whose primary role is to produce insulin. These beta cells make up around 65 to 80 percent of the cells found in the pancreatic islets. They typically malfunction when the body's immune system begins to attack and destroy the pancreatic beta cells. Therefore, type I diabetes is an autoimmune disorder. Patients with type I diabetes require insulin injections that might cause severe reactions. People dependent on insulin are prone to the development of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy.

People with type II diabetes generally do not need pancreatic transplant because this type of diabetes occurs due to low production of insulin or lack of insulin resistance. Here is a list of the probable reasons why pancreatic transplant is required:

People who have type I diabetes but are not cured by standard treatment
Severe reactions to insulin injections
Low blood sugar
Kidney damage
Hypoglycemia unawareness
A pancreatic transplant can be of three types. They are:

Pancreas transplant only- People with type I diabetes and normally functioning kidneys require only a pancreatic transplant.
Pancreas and kidney transplant- Type I diabetes, in rare cases, leads to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or end-stage kidney disease where one or both the kidneys are damaged. In such cases, pancreas and kidney are transplanted simultaneously to disable the dependence on insulin injection. This type of surgery may also be required when the pancreas and the kidneys come from the same donor.
Pancreas-after-kidney transplant- In some cases of type I diabetes, your doctor will recommend kidney transplant first followed by pancreatic transplant. It must be remembered that pancreatic transplant should be done by taking into consideration the side-effects caused by the anti-rejection injections administered after the procedure is performed. It may cause bone thinning, high cholesterol and high blood pressure in a patient s body. As the anti-rejection injections work by suppressing the immune system, the body s defense mechanism against infections and other diseases becomes ineffective to a considerable extent.
A pancreatic transplant is a serious procedure that requires a lot of deliberations and consultations with your doctor and should only be opted for when the benefits outweigh the side effects from the anti-rejection medications.

Pancreatic Transplant - When Is It Required?

An inflammation of the pancreas is known as pancreatitis. The pancreas is an organ that produces digestive enzymes. Pancreatitis might start any day and continue for long period and it requires immediate medical attention. It is of two types- acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis. Although the treatment usually requires hospitalization, pancreatitis can be easily stabilized and the underlying cause can be treated thereafter.

Causes
Pancreatitis may be caused due to various reasons:
1. Gall bladder stone: The pancreatic duct lies next to the bile duct. The gallstones enter the small intestine after passing through the common bile duct. Often the stones that remain in the common bile duct have a negative effect on the pancreas, which causes a hindrance to the normal flow of the pancreatic fluids, causing pancreatitis. Also a back flow of the bile into the pancreas can cause pancreatitis. 
2. Alcohol: Long time alcohol use also causes pancreatitis. Alcohol can damage the pancreas tremendously causing it to get inflamed.
3. Other causes: Hereditary disorders in the pancreas, cystic fibrosis, high level of triglycerides, and a few medicines may also cause pancreatitis.

Symptoms: 
1. The first symptom of pancreatitis is abdominal pain: The pain may be sudden or gradually increasing, but is usually aggravated after eating. It is severe and constant, and may continue for a few days. If you are suffering from pancreatitis, you will feel very sick after a sudden attack and you might require medical assistance immediately.
2. Swollen abdomen: Pancreatitis may cause your abdominal area to swell up and become tender.
3. Nausea: If your abdomen suddenly starts paining due to the onset of pancreatitis, you tend to feel extremely nauseous. You might end up vomiting and may also have violent heaves.
4. Fever: The inflammation will cause you to run a temperature, along with a searing pain in your stomach, which will make you feel extremely uncomfortable.
5. Rapid pulse: Pancreatitis affects the rate, at which the heart beats, causing a rapid increase in the pulse rate.

Causes and Symptoms of Pancreatitis

Pancreas Transplant is a surgical procedure where the damaged pancreas is taken out of the body of the patient and transplanted with the healthy ones from the donor s body.
The pancreas is located in the middle part of the body that helps in the secretion of insulin in the body. Insulin helps in the absorption of sugar in the body and helps in maintaining glucose level. If the pancreas is not producing insulin in sufficient quantity than the patient is likely to suffer type 1 diabetes.

Most of the pancreas transplants are done to cure the extreme conditions of type 1 diabetes. However, the transplants are done only in case of severe diabetic conditions because the pancreas transplant has serious side effects and not always pleasant after surgery recovery.

Why is the Pancreas Transplant Done?
There are several reasons for doctors choosing for pancreas transplantation. One of the most reason is the type of diabetes. However, they are also performed along with the kidney transplantation, when damage to the kidney is done by diabetes.

Following reasons are worth considering for pancreas transplantation:
  Extreme and severe type 1 diabetes
  Kidney damage
  Type 2 diabetes due to a lower level of insulin usage in the body
  Poor blood sugar level

Types of Pancreas Transplantations-

  Pancreas Transplant Alone: The pancreas transplantation is done solely for the diabetic patient whose kidney is unaffected and does not require any surgery along with pancreas transplant.

  Pancreas Transplantation Along with Kidney Transplant: This kind of surgery is done by the doctors when the patient has weak kidney and damaged pancreas. In such a scenario, only kidney transplantation is not sufficient and requires new pancreas for overall development.

  Pancreas-after-kidney Transplantation: For patients who have been waiting long enough for a donor for pancreas and kidney both, this is a better solution. Since the waiting list to get, such donor is long and not probable. Doctors prioritize and perform kidney transplantation first since the condition for kidney transplantation is rather severe and affected. Then after pancreas transplantation is done when a suitable donor is found.

  Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplant: Pancreatic islet cells are responsible for producing insulin into the body. So, doctors perform surgery on the patient and inject the pancreatic islet cells from donor s pancreas to the patient under operation.

Complications of the Procedure-
Some of the common complications of the procedure are:

  Blood clots
  Bleeding
  Infection
  Excess sugar in the blood
  Failure of the donated pancreas
  Transplant rejection
  Urinary tract complications

Conclusion-
Pancreas Transplant is done when the patient is severely diabetic and is not curable with only medication. The doctors suggest the post-surgery rest. The patient is required to be hospitalized for one week at least and keep strict follow-up routine to look after the effects of transplantation.

Pancreas Transplant - When Is It Required?

There are many food items which would become stale after a few hours, but there are certain foods which may last forever without the need to can them or freeze or dehydrate. If an individual is new to the field of food storage, these staples can be an excellent way to begin.

White rice: There are numerous researchers who have found that polished or white rice keeps up their nutrient content and flavour for almost 30 years if it can be stored in oxygen-free containers in temperatures that range below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Brown rice, on the other hand, doesn t last more than six months owing to the availability of natural oils in the bran layer.
Honey: Honey is preferably the only food that would last forever due to the perfect chemistry and the handiwork of the bees. The nectar extracted from the flower gets mixed with the enzymes present in the bees  bodies which alter the composition of the nectar. The nectar is further broken down into simple sugars and is accumulated in the honeycombs. The processing, as well as sealing of the honey, is primarily responsible for the incredible shelf life.
Salt: Since sodium chloride is a mineral which is taken from the natural components of the earth, its shelf-life should come as a natural consequence. It is used for centuries as a means of preserving other food products as it can extract out all the moisture. But this doesn t indicate that the table salt would last forever. Experts say that the addition of the iodine to the table salt reduces the shelf life of the salt which means that if the label says that it is an iodized salt, it will not last over five years.
Soy sauce: When left unopened, a container filled with soya sauce would last for a significantly long period. But it is also dependent on the type of soy sauce and the additives used. Even if the soy sauce has been opened, this salty condiment will last for many years if stored in the refrigerator.
Sugar: Quite similar to many items, the storage process of the sugar determines whether the sugar is going to last for long or not. Granulated and powdered sugar must be kept under an airtight condition to steer clear of moisture. Although retailers are needed to provide the manufacturing dates of the sugar, manufacturers say that the sugar remains edible even if it has hardened and become brown.
Pure maple syrup: Pure maple syrup, as well as commercial sugars such as granular sugars and honey, has an irresistible life owing to its shield against any kinds of microbial growth. Unopened maple syrup shall last forever, and in case there is the formation of mould, boiling it to a certain degree and skimming the surface and ultimately pouring it to a clean and air-tight container would eliminate all the problems.
Clarified butter: This kind of butter is boiled unless the total moisture is extracted which is the reason that it doesn t go bad. As long as the clarified butter or ghee is stored in sealed container under cool temperature, it would last for about 100 years.

7 Foods That Never Expire!

A pancreatic transplantation or pancreas transplantation refers to the surgical procedure, which involves replacing a dysfunctional pancreas with a healthy one.  The donor of the pancreas is usually a deceased person. Pancreas is an important organ of the body as it produces several important hormones, which play a significant role of regulating our body cycles. Pancreas transplantation is usually performed for the treatment of type 1 diabetes which is linked to the inability of the pancreas to produce the insulin hormone.

A pancreatic transplant is considered as one of the potential cures for type 1 diabetes. However it is not considered to be a standard treatment due to complications, such as:

Rejection of graft by the recipient body or similar complications
The medications which are given to prevent the rejection can have serious side effects too
Certain complications like blood clots or infections can occur following the procedure
Failure to control the blood sugar levels and rejection of the graft or complete pancreatic failure are Common complications that occur after a pancreas transplant.
These are the primary reasons why pancreas transplant is often considered to be one of the last measures of treating diabetes. Nevertheless, there are certain conditions where a pancreas transplant is worth considering. Some of the conditions include diabetes which cannot be controlled with the usual treatment procedure, chronic poor blood sugar control, insulin reactions which turns chronic or a serious kidney disease.

Certain medications are also prescribed for anti rejection purposes. These medications need to be taken after the operation for the rest of your life to prevent rejection of the donor graft. These medications can have a few adverse side effects. Some of the side effects include hypertension, thinning of your bones, unwanted weight gain and a rise in your cholesterol levels. Swollen gums or acne are also observed in several cases.  

Often a pancreas transplant is carried out along with a kidney transplant, especially if you have a serious kidney condition. It helps to provide a healthy kidney and a pancreas and also reduces a risk of kidney damage caused due to diabetes later in the future.

Know More About Pancreatic Transplantation!

Water effectively constitutes 70-75% of human bodies and keeps us protected from many harmful things. But many people have a frequent question: is it alright to drink water before you brush your teeth? Will it harm your body? Let us discuss the same in this article.

Many people believe that they should not drink water before brushing their teeth because of the bacterias present in saliva after you wake up. But this is a myth and it does not have any scientific logic. When you drink water after waking up before brushing, your saliva goes with the water down into the stomach which results in the killing of the bacteria due to the high acid content inside it. Therefore there is absolutely no harm if you drink water before brushing teeth.

If you are familiar with Japanese culture then you must know that the Japanese drink two glasses of water every morning immediately after they wake up. Drinking water immediately after you wake up without brushing your teeth does not harm you in any way. Doctors always recommend drinking two full glass or at least one, on an empty stomach. There are several benefits your body receives when you consume water every morning after you wake up.

Drinking water every morning has its own long list of benefits. Let us have a look at them-

Boosts your immunity- Drinking water every morning strengthens your immunity system. Helps you to fight diseases and germs much better.
Clears the bowels- After your drink water in the morning, you will get an urge of flushing out your bowels. This way the bowels remain clear and you do not face any constipation issues.
Speeds up metabolism- Your metabolism gets boosted when you drink water resulting in faster digestion and metabolic rate. It also keeps you hydrated through the day.
Prevents headaches and migraines effectively and it also helps in preventing colon infection because your bowels get cleared easily.
Helps in weight loss- Drinking water every morning helps you to lose weight by a significant margin due to the fact it occupies the stomach killing the desire to eat much in the morning.
Beneficial for skin- Increase in the freshness of your skin complexion which water delivers if you drink it every day in the morning. It flushes out the toxins and dead cells which helps in increase of new and fresh body cells.
Thus as you can see the long list of benefits you will receive if you drink water every day after you wake up.

Is It Alright To Drink Water Without Brushing Your Teeth?

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