ABSTRACT
After pancreas transplantation, some patients with bladder drainage (BD) of the pancreatic duct will need to be converted to enteric drainage (ED) because of reflux pancreatitis, metabolic acidosis, and urological complications. However, ED is associated with higher rates of duodenal stump leak, intra-abdominal abscess, and peritonitis. In some cases of enteric anastomosis leakage, a primary repair can be attempted, but in more severe cases, graft pancreatectomy is indicated. We report one patient who received a combined kidney and pancreas transplant with BD of exocrine secretions, but who required ED conversion 6 years later because of persistent metabolic acidosis and adverse urological symptoms. However, a significant duodenal leak was discovered 4 days post-operatively. To salvage the transplanted pancreas, we performed a diverting loop ileostomy proximal to the entero-entero anastomosis and the distal section was drained retrogradely with an ileostostomy tube, allowing the area of the leak to heal. Three months later, the ileostomy was reversed without complications, the symptoms that led to the ED conversion resolved, and the kidney and pancreas allografts remain functional 48 months later. We suggest that this might be a method by which transplanted pancreas may be salvaged in the case of leakage after ED conversion.