<p>The pancreas is a gland behind your stomach and in front of your spine. It produces the juices that help break down food and the hormones that help control blood sugar levels. A pancreas transplant is surgery to place a healthy pancreas from a donor into a person with a diseased pancreas. It is mostly done for people with severe <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/diabetestype1.html">type 1 diabetes</a>. It can allow them to give up insulin shots. An experimental procedure called <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/isletcelltransplantation.html">islet cell transplantation</a> transplants only the parts of the pancreas that make insulin.</p> <p>People who have <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/organtransplantation.html">transplants</a> must take drugs to keep their body from rejecting the new pancreas for the rest of their lives. They must also have regular follow-up care. Because of the risks, it is not a common treatment for type 1 diabetes.</p>