Massachusetts General Hospital | Transplant Center

To begin the pancreas transplant evaluation process, you must first be referred to the Mass General Pancreas Transplant Clinic by your primary care physician or endocrinologist. A pancreas transplant nurse coordinator along with a transplant surgeon will review your referral and medical records once they have been received. Transplant Center staff will then schedule an initial evaluation appointment. If you are also a candidate for kidney transplantation, you will be evaluated for both transplants at the same time.

Depending on the number of tests required for each patient, the length of the evaluation process can vary, but our goal is for you to complete testing within four months.

Martin Hertl, MD, (far right) and Patricia Flaherty, RN, speak with a patient

Part One: Initial Evaluation

Patients begin the pancreas transplant evaluation at the scheduled Multidisciplinary Pancreas Transplant Evaluation Clinic. During the day you will:

• Attend a pancreas transplant education session 
• Have blood testing done
• Meet with all the members of the transplant team, including your individual nurse coordinator, surgeon, social worker, dietitian and financial coordinator

Part Two: Specialized Testing

After the initial clinic visit you will return for additional testing and appointments as needed. The pancreas transplant team will assist you in scheduling these tests and appointments, which may include:

• Cardiac stress testing
• Chest X-ray and electrocardiogram (EKG) at a Mass General facility
• Additional blood and urine tests
• CT scan
• MRI/MRA
• Meeting with a pharmacist
• Meeting with a psychiatrist
• Meeting with a diabetologist

You will be responsible for scheduling the following tests with your primary care physician and/or providing recent results in order to complete the transplant evaluation:

• Colonoscopy (age 50+)
• Dental exam (within the past year)
• For women:
  • Pap smear
  • Mammogram (age 40+)

Part Three: Review by Committee

Once testing is complete, the entire transplant team will meet to determine your candidacy to be listed for a pancreas transplant. You and your referring physician will be informed of the committee’s decision.

For more information about the evaluation process, call 877-644-2860 or request an appointment online.