Abstract
The recent success of clinical islet transplantation resulting from the
Edmonton Protocol has led to a considerable expansion of islet transplant
centers worldwide (1). Indeed, in 2005, islet transplants were performed in 76
centers around theworld, comparedwith a total of 46 centers during thewhole
of the 1990s (2). However, looking back over the last five years a number of
important lessons can be learned. This chapter aims to highlight some of the
challenges that currently exist in setting up a new islet transplant program and
to discuss ways in which these challenges might be overcome in the future.