Intramuscular islet autotransplantation: pig to man

Intraportal islet transplantation can restore glycemic stability in subjects with type 1 diabetes. The morbidity and mortality of a pancreatic state affecting patients after total or subtotal pancreatectomy continues to be a concern. In those indications, the liver appears however to have several drawbacks. Therefore, there is a great interest in determining an alternative site for islets transplantation. Intramuscular islet transplantation (IMIT) offers attractive prospects for its simplicity and an easier access to the graft for non invasive imaging techniques and/or cell removal. Since the first success in a child by Rafael and al., many cases reports confirm the feasibility of this technique. Herein, we try to evaluate the place of IMIT in the field of pancreatic surgery.