Spain.– The 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid has successfully performed the first simultaneous intestine and pancreas transplant in Spain, a pioneering intervention that represents a significant breakthrough in the treatment of patients with irreversible intestinal failure and complex pancreatic diseases.
The surgery was performed last March on Juan Jesús Martínez, a patient who suffered a massive intestinal infarction that forced the removal of a large part of his small and large intestine, leaving him dependent on parenteral nutrition administered intravenously.
Added to this delicate situation was a long-standing and difficult-to-control diabetes, which led the medical team to propose an exceptional solution: performing a combined intestine and pancreas transplant using a single graft.
“The patient had irreversible chronic intestinal failure. Since he could not be fed conventionally, he required intravenous nutrition. In addition, he suffered from long-standing, poorly controlled diabetes, and that suggested to us the possibility of performing this procedure,” explained Jorge Calvo, a digestive surgeon at the hospital.
The challenge was enormous. According to specialists, international scientific literature only recorded one similar case performed previously, which made the intervention a surgery of extremely high complexity and few precedents worldwide.
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To make it possible, the Abdominal Organ Transplant Unit of the 12 de Octubre Hospital formed a multidisciplinary team composed of professionals from surgery, intensive care, digestive medicine, endocrinology, nutrition, anesthesiology, and nursing.
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The operation was performed without intraoperative incidents and the patient’s recovery exceeded expectations. Just 16 days after the procedure, Juan Jesús was discharged and returned home.
Currently, he/she continues his/her recovery by eating orally with a practically normal diet and following the corresponding pharmacological treatment.
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“Right now I’m doing great, honestly very well. My idea is to go back to skiing, go back to playing padel, go to the gym, and go back to enjoying life with my children and my family,” the patient expressed.
Doctors highlight that his progress has been “magnificent.” According to Dr. Calvo, Juan Jesús is regaining weight, resuming his routine, and has already started asking when he will be able to return to playing sports.
Beyond the surgical success, the healthcare team highlights the human impact of the procedure.
“We have managed to offer him a second chance, not only at survival, but also at improving his quality of life,” the specialists pointed out.
The Abdominal Organ Transplant Unit at the 12 de Octubre University Hospital is currently the only one in Spain that performs intestinal and multivisceral transplants. Furthermore, it is the only center in the country with the capacity to perform all types of abdominal organ implants.
This medical milestone expands therapeutic options for patients with extremely complex pathologies and positions the Spanish public healthcare system at the international forefront in the field of highly specialized transplants.
