An unprecedented advance in Spanish medicine
The 12 de Octubre University Hospital, located in the Community of Madrid, has achieved a significant advance in the field of transplants by performing, for the first time in Spain, a simultaneous transplant of intestine and pancreas. This intervention, carried out in early March, is not only pioneering at the national level but is also considered almost unprecedented internationally.
The complexity of the procedure lies in the integration of both organs into a single graft. According to digestive surgeon Jorge Calvo, this technique simplifies the surgery by sharing anatomy and blood vessels between the organs, which enhances their functionality. Until now, only one similar case had been documented in global medical literature.
The beneficiary of this innovative transplant is Juan José Martínez, a 46-year-old man who suffered from a complex abdominal disease that had led to irreversible chronic intestinal failure. His condition was related to short bowel syndrome due to polyarteritis nodosa, a rare disease that affects the arteries and can compromise various organs.
As a result of his medical situation, Juan José depended on home parenteral nutrition and suffered from type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, thanks to the successful transplant performed by the Abdominal Organ Transplant Unit of the hospital, his recovery has been remarkably positive; he was discharged just 16 days after the procedure.
Currently, Juan José continues his recovery at home with a nearly normal diet and has started to gain weight. He enthusiastically expresses his wishes: “I want to ski again, play paddle tennis, and go to the gym,” stating that this transplant has given him a second chance not only to survive but to improve his quality of life.
This operation would not have been possible without the close collaboration between several departments of the hospital: Surgery, Intensive Care, Digestive System, Endocrinology, and Nursing. This joint effort highlights the importance of teamwork within the medical field.
With this monumental achievement, the 12 de Octubre Hospital reaffirms its position as a leading centre for intestinal and multivisceral transplants in Spain. It is currently the only national centre capable of carrying out all possible types of abdominal implantations.
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