Slovenská chirurgia 3-4/2016
Possibilities for surgical treatment of diabetes mellitus
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is an autoimmune disease which causes progressive destruction of pancreatic β cells, eventually resulting in a loss of insulin secretion, which leads to hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia in patients with T1DM can lead to several life-threatening complicatons – mainly cardiovascular diseases, kidney, nerve and eye diseases and others. Replacing the damaged β cells using cell therapy can treat it. Currently available strategies consist of insulin-replacement therapy and islet/pancreas transplantation. For pancreas/islet transplantation a deceased donor is required and it is connected with many downfalls including lifelong immunosuppressive therapy with its adverse effects. Stem cell therapy with assistance of cellular reprogramming and β cell regeneration offers new therapeutic possibilities for treatment of T1DM.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus type 1, stem cell therapy, insulin-producing cells, stem cells












