South Australian diabetics will no longer be forced to travel interstate for pancreas transplants when the Royal Adelaide Hospital becomes the third in the country to start performing them.
Patients will be able to undergo he specialist transplant surgeries at the Royal Adelaide Hospital by the end of July, Health and Wellbeing Minister Stephen Wade says.
"Pancreas transplantation offers diabetics freedom from insulin (therapy) and its complications, and significantly improves their quality of life and prospects for overall survival," Mr Wade said in a statement on Sunday.
"Until now, seriously ill patients have had to travel interstate to access a combined pancreas and kidney transplantation, which requires them to relocate during the lengthy recovery period."
The government says the Royal Adelaide Hospital will become one of three in the nation to offer the life-changing surgery.
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More than 50 pancreases from South Australian donors have been unable to be used over the past four years, according to DonateLife SA figures.
It's medical director, Dr Stewart Moodie, said Sunday's announcement meant "the wishes of organ donors to help as many people as possible will be realised".
