Can You Live Without Pancreas ?

Pancreas is approximately 6 inches long and its form is a little like tadpole, with head, body and tail. It lies within the abdomen, behind the stomach and in front of the backbone. It commits two main things namely making liquid which contains enzymes that break nutrients in food - like fat and protein - so that your body can use it; it also makes hormone like insulin to off-set sugar level in your blood.

Enzyme is a protein which increases chemical reaction rate in your body. Without it, a process which may take a few seconds or minutes will take a period of years. The enzyme in pancreas is merged with bile, liquid made by heart, to break food.

Can you live without pancreas? The answer is yes, yet living is not the same without it because pancreas makes insulin. You will suffer from diabetes if your pancreas is removed or is no longer functional. This means you will rely on injection or insulin pump. It is also difficult for you to organize it because pancreas also produces other hormone which controls sugar in blood.

Pancreas can be destructive to oneself when the channel, or tube, in the pancreas is blocked, which creates enzyme. When this happens, it is called acute pancreatitis. Symptom includes gradual illness or suddenly in stomach , that may not be severe in early stage, but usually will be desperately after that. Treatment usually involve entry to ward for the admission of IV liquid, and fasting, so that pancreas can rest.


Unhealthy nutrition, sistik fibrosis, and a few medicines can cause chronic pancreatitis, but common cause is often drinking liquor. People who have this disease should stop drinking liquor, regardless of what causes their condition.

Every day the pancreas produces half gallon of liquid and enzyme. Those who experience certain condition - like pancreatitis, sistik fibrosis, and those who had undergone particular operation - have no pancreas enzyme that is enough. This is due to they could not absorb nutrition well, they need a treatment that is called pancreas enzyme replacement therapy.

When you suffer diabetes type 1, a particular type islet cell (cell in pancreas) is no longer making enough insulin,  because it has been plagued by the body's immune system. Those who suffer type 1 diabetes have to take on insulin. This condition could be recovered by conducting therapy to control immune system so that it does not attack islet cell. Type 2 diabetes happens when body becomes resistant to insulin. This is usually caused by genetics combination and factor of life style, including obesity and lack of physical activity. 

Pancreas transfer is carried out when a person is having type 1 diabetes that is difficult to handle. It is usually carried out along with kidney transplant. Old pancreas ordinarily is allowed in provenance to continue making enzyme because your immune system innately will reject new organ, thus you should take medicines to prevent it in your lifetime. Pancreas transfer cannot be done on people with pancreatic cancer. Medicines used to prevent organ rejection will also deter immune system from fighting cancer.