Kidney-Pancreas Transplant Program in San Diego

Since its inception in 1990, Sharp Kidney and Pancreas Transplant has become a leader in organ transplantation, boasting one of the highest survival rates in the country. We have performed more than 1,400 successful kidney transplants for patients suffering from chronic renal failure.

We also perform pancreas transplants and simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplants. Almost all pancreas transplants are done to treat cases of Type 1 diabetes and it's typically reserved for those who have serious diabetes complications. 

Why Choose Sharp for Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Surgery?

Throughout the years, Sharp has held a leadership role in kidney-pancreas transplantation.

  • In 1999, Sharp Memorial Hospital was the first hospital in Southern California to offer minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery to our living donors, making it easier for them to return to normal activities sooner and with less pain.
  • Our patient and graft survival outcomes consistently place us among the top transplant programs in the nation. We have demonstrated graft survival rates at or above the national average since our inception. Graft survival refers to the function of the transplanted kidney.
  • Sharp's Adult Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation Program is proud to work with the California Institute of Renal Research to offer our patients cutting-edge clinical trials.
  • We have a dedicated transplant donor team who will support potential donors and their recipients through each step of the living donor work-up process.
  • We routinely perform kidney transplants on patients who normally would be ineligible for a transplant due to compatibility concerns. This can be done through our kidney desensitization program. This process removes unwanted antibodies from a patient's blood stream in order to help prevent the body from rejecting the transplanted kidney.

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Kidney Transplant
Watch as Dolores gives her husband the gift of life
Watch as Dolores gives her husband the gift of life

Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programs and Services

Our transplants have been accomplished through:

How to Become a Live Kidney Donor

According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine, live kidney donors have normal life spans to those of nondonors and their risk of kidney issues doesn't increase. Find out how to become a live kidney donor and read:  

Kidney Transplant Patient Stories

Dustin and Randy

Meet some of our kidney transplant patients and read their incredible life-changing stories.

 

Our Kidney-Pancreas Transplant Surgery Team

Sharp is committed to personalized patient care through a multidisciplinary team approach. With its vast clinical experience, the Kidney-Pancreas Transplant Program medical team actively participate in research studies, and develop new protocols and methods to prevent and treat organ rejection. Additionally, patients are paired with a registered dietitian on how to prepare nutritionally for transplant. 

Find a San Diego Doctor

To find a Sharp-affiliated physician, search for San Diego doctors or call 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday 8 am to 6 pm.

For More Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Surgery Information

To find general information about transplant, visit Transplantation in Adult Health or read the Transplant News archive or attend a Kidney Transplant 101 class.