Implantable device for Type 1 Diabetes: Potential for Enhancing Insulin Secretion?
In a groundbreaking development for diabetes management, researchers have created an implantable device designed to control type 1 diabetes. This innovative device, still in its developmental stages, offers potential benefits that could significantly improve the lives of those living with the condition.
The device, which carries hundreds of thousands of insulin-producing islet cells, is intended for people with type 1 diabetes. Unlike current treatment methods that primarily rely on frequent blood sugar checks via fingersticks, subcutaneous insulin injections, and non-implantable CGM devices, implantable systems may provide more continuous, automated, and less obtrusive monitoring and insulin delivery.
One such implantable CGM, Eversense, has demonstrated fewer hypoglycemic episodes but has not consistently shown significant HbA1c (average blood glucose) improvement in clinical trials. The new device, however, goes a step further by supplying extra oxygen to densely packed insulin-secreting cells, aiming to improve cell viability and treatment effectiveness.
The device, published in The Proceeding of the National Academy of Science on September 18, was designed by researchers at Cornell. It generates oxygen by splitting water vapor in the body to combat the issue of insulin production due to oxygen depletion. This feature is crucial, as when cells are present in a device, oxygen depletion can occur, potentially affecting the device's effectiveness.
While the device holds great promise, it's important to note that it comes with potential risks. These include diabetic ketoacidosis and fibrosis or scar formation around the device. Researchers are actively working on reducing fibrosis in medical materials for the next-generation device.
Counting carbohydrate grams at each meal and snack makes insulin dosing easier and more accurate for type 1 diabetes management. Eating fewer refined carbs and focusing on complex carbs is essential for managing the condition. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include frequent urination, being very thirsty, unintended weight loss, being very hungry, blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain.
Researchers hope to test the larger version of the device in people with type 1 diabetes within the next four years. If successful, the device could potentially replace insulin injections in people with type 1 diabetes, offering a less intrusive and potentially more effective way to manage the condition.
Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, can develop at any age. It is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the pancreas' ability to produce insulin. The device's development represents a significant stride in finding a cure for this chronic condition, offering hope for a future where diabetes management is less burdensome and more effective.
In summary, implantable devices seek to enhance diabetes management by reducing hypoglycemia risk and providing continuous data and insulin delivery, potentially improving patient quality of life. Yet, they come with procedural risks and still require more robust evidence to confirm broad clinical benefits over standard care approaches such as conventional CGM, multiple daily injections, or pump therapy with external devices. As research progresses, we move closer to a future where diabetes management could be revolutionised.
- This innovative implantable device, currently under development, is designed specifically for people with type 1 diabetes, providing a potential improvement in their lives.
- The revolutionary device, still in its developmental stages, offers the possibility of more continuous, automated, and less obtrusive monitoring and insulin delivery compared to current treatment methods.
- The new implantable device, published in The Proceeding of the National Academy of Science, supplies extra oxygen to densely packed insulin-secreting cells to combat oxygen depletion and improve cell viability.
- While the device holds great promise, potential risks include diabetic ketoacidosis, fibrosis, or scar formation around the device, and research is underway to address these issues in the next-generation device.
- Eating fewer refined carbs and focusing on complex carbs is essential for managing type 1 diabetes, a condition that can develop at any age and is characterized by frequent urination, increased thirst, unintended weight loss, and blurry vision, among other symptoms.
- With the hope of testing the larger version of the device in people with type 1 diabetes within the next four years, the device could potentially replace insulin injections, offering a less intrusive and potentially more effective way to manage this chronic condition.
