Islet autotransplantation (IAT), in conjunction with total pancreatectomy (TP), is used to relieve pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), while reducing the incidence of brittle diabetes. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of IAT after TP (TPIAT) in this setting.

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials since 1977. Data were extracted from published papers. Random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression models were built to assess the outcomes and effect of different factors. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine the between-study heterogeneity, which was assessed using Cochrane's Q and I² statistic.

A total of 17 studies, including 1024 patients, met the eligibility criteria. The median cohort size was 21 patients (range: 5–409). The pooled incidence rates of insulin independence, narcotic independence and mortality at last follow-up were 11.47 per 100 patient-years (95% CI: 6.79–21.60, I²=91.0%), 18.11 per 100 patient-years (95% CI: 5.29–62.04, I²=98.8%) and 2.88 per 100 patient-years (95% CI: 1.75–4.74, I²=46.8%), respectively. However, the heterogeneity level of our results was high, which was due to differences in research methods and definitions of outcomes between studies. Therefore, our results should be interpreted with caution.

TPIAT can effectively relieve pain and reduce the risk of surgical diabetes with no increase in mortality or morbidity. Prospective, randomized, clinical trials are required to further evaluate selection of patients and the timing of TPIAT.