Risks:

The risks for any surgery are:

• Bleeding
• Breathing problems
• Heart attack or stroke
• Infection or abscess
• Reactions to medications
• Scar formation

The risks for pancreas transplant include:

• Blood clots (deep venous thrombosis)
• Clotting (thrombosis) of the arteries or veins of the new pancreas
• Development of certain cancers after a few years
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
• Leakage of fluid from the new pancreas where it attaches to the intestine or bladder
• Rejection

The body's immune system considers the transplanted organ foreign, and fights it. To prevent rejection, organ transplant patients must take drugs (such as cyclosporine and corticosteroids) that weaken the body's immune response. This makes the person less able to fight infections and can cause other medical problems.