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A 28-year-old male asked:
Can u live without your pancreas?
3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Stevan Cordasanswered
Internal Medicine 59 years experience
No pancreas: Yes but not without a specialist to prescribe what you need to do so. It isn't easy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Myron Arlenanswered
Surgical Oncology 66 years experience
Yes: Pancreatic resections removing the entire pancreas are occasionally performed for pancreatic cancer. The organ is not essential except for its endocrine and exocrine function. The islet cells lost produce insulin, that is essential and the exocrine portion of the gland, produce enzymes that are available commercially to help in digestion. Most can then lead a normal life.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. David Krulakanswered
Family Medicine 25 years experience
Not easy: It is possible to live without a pancreas, however, it requires a lot of medication and is associated with increased illness and death. One study found that 1/3 of participants died within the first three years of their pancreatectomy. Some of these deaths were cancer related, so likely the odds are better for a non-malignant cause.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
Similar questions
A 43-year-old member asked:
Can it be possible for you to live without a pancreas?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Jeffrey Ramkaransinghanswered
Interventional Radiology 22 years experience
Yes: It is possible to live without a pancreas. Patients without a pancreas require life-long insulin shots, because the insulin-producing Islet cells are gone. This diabetes is often very difficult to manage. Also, these people need pancreatic enzyme supplements to help digest certain foods.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 29-year-old member asked:
Can a person live without a pancreas?
3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in
Dr. Danny Proffittanswered
Family Medicine 45 years experience
Yes: Many people have had to have the pancrease (pancrelipase) removed. This causes many health issues. First, there is diabetes due to this being the organ secreting insulin. This can be replaced. Next, is the absence of pancreatic digestive enzymes. Artifical pancreatic enzymes can be taken. Diarrhea is often the problem. None of this is optimum but sometimes the only alternative to keeping it.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
For what length of time can a person live without their pancreas?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. David Sneidanswered
Endocrinology 43 years experience
Hours: To days. They would develop severe diabetes and also malnutrition very, very rapidly - which would be fatal if not treated properly.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Jul 22, 2014
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