Cell Transplant Saves Soldier From Diabetes

Cells from his damaged pancreas produce insulin in liver

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 16, 2009 3:36 PM CST

(Newser) – University of Miami doctors spared wounded airman Tre Porfirio a lifetime of severe diabetes with a first-of-its-kind emergency cell transplant from his own bullet-riddled kidney. Porfirio had been shot in the back in Afghanistan, forcing Walter Reed’s doctors to remove much of his stomach and intestines. They had planned to rebuild his abdominal structure, until they realized that his pancreas was completely ruined, and without it he’d face crippling, life-threatening diabetes, reports the Miami Herald.

So in an apparent first, they flew the pancreas to the University of Miami, where diabetes researchers salvaged its remaining insulin-producing cells. It then shipped them back to Walter Reed where they were implanted in Porfirio’s liver. There, they’ve already begun producing insulin again. Similar procedures have been done before, but never under emergency conditions, and usually with organs from cadaver donors, which means recipients must take anti-rejection drugs. Now doctors think the procedure could become “an unlimited cure available to everyone.”

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

Tre Porfirio is shown in Afghanistan before he was wounded. (The Porfirio family)

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It's an operation we would have done for anyone, but for someone who is putting his life on the line for all of us, I couldn't think of a better way to spend Thanksgiving. - Dr. Camillo Ricordi, chief of the Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami

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Showing 3 of 6 comments

EileenRocks

Dec 17, 2009 7:30 AM CST

They used the term "crippling, life-threatening diabetes" soley to refer to the case of this one man who no longer had a pancreas. He didn't gradually become diabetic, like most of us type 2s do, he got it suddenly and catastrophically.

riffran

Dec 17, 2009 3:06 AM CST

agreed pdm...diabetes IF properly managed by people educated on the many facets of DM, are neither crippled nor "life threatened".......BUT, if you don't appropriately manage it, the long term survival is greatly reduced..and it can be emergent.....40 years as a type 1 ? I hope you are doing well....I had to take care of a 10 year old once whos parents didn't take care of her...she was SICK SICK SICK....bad DKA..bless her little heart...the parents got "educated" real quick when the realized they nearly killed their daughter

Count-Spatula

Dec 16, 2009 11:19 AM CST

That's cool.

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Afghanistan • diabetes • Walter Reed Army Medical Center • pancreas • insulin • University of Miami • wounded • troops

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Cell Transplant Saves Soldier From Diabetes