Background: Islet cell isolation is dependent upon numerous variables, by far the most influential factors seen are those from the donor. In Australia there are significant distances to travel to obtain donors at distant Hospitals and as such travel time can adversely affect outcomes of islet isolation. The aim of this study was to compare the isolation and transplant outcomes of donor pancreata according to the distance from Westmead Hospital the islet isolation facility. Local and distant donors from around Australia were compared.
Methods: Donors were categorised according to distance from the National Pancreas Transplant Unit Westmead (NPTU). Including; age, BMI, cause and mechanism of death, days in ICU, gender, inotrope and steroid use, cold ischemia time (CIT) and donor surgical team.
Results: Between March 2007 and December 2020, 297 islet isolations were performed at our centre 149 donor pancreata were local, and 148 non-local regions. Mean distance from the isolation facility was 780.05 km. Mean pancreas CIT was 401.07 ± 137.71 minutes and was significantly different between local and non-local groups (297.2 vs. 487.5 minutes, p<0.01). Mean age of donors was 45.22 years, mean BMI was 28.82, sex ratio was 48:52 F:M and mean time in ICU was 3.07 days. There was no significant difference between local and non-local for these characteristics. The mean CIT resulting in islet transplantation was 297.1 ± 91.5 min and longest CIT resulting in transplantation was 676 minutes.  There was no significant difference in islet isolation outcomes between local and non-local donors for characteristics other than CIT. There was also no significant effect of distance from the isolation facility on positive islet transplant outcomes (C-peptide >0.2 at 1-month post-transplant).
Conclusions: Distance from the isolation centre does not impact on isolation or transplant outcomes supporting the ongoing nationwide use of shipping pancreata for islet isolation and transplantation.