guys@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
> On Sun, 31 Aug 2008 11:26:38 -0700 (PDT), Hondos2@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
>
>> On Aug 8, 9:45?am, garyban...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
>>> With an "insulin pump", the pump does not know how much sugar is in
>>> the blood, unless you do the "finger stick" test, and program the
>>> pump. ?In order to prevent hypogylcemic (low blood sugar) reactions,
>>> this test must be performed as often as 10 times day. ?This is called
>>> an "open loop" system, because the pump just runs constantly, at a
>>> rate set by the wearer.
>>>
>>> The"artifial pancreas" contains an insulin pump, AND a glucose sensor
>>> AND a microcomputer. ?The microcomputer reads the sensor to see how
>>> much sugar is in the blood, then tells the insulin pump exaclty how
>>> much insulin to ?send. ?With the computer/sensor controlling the
>>> amount of insulin, this is called a "closed loop" system.
>>>
>>> Up until now, part of the problem has been a suitable, implantable
>>> glucose sensor. ?Previous sensors could only be used one time -- like
>>> the finger stick meter inserts. ?This new sensor is somehow "reusable"
>>> -- apparently self-cleaning. ?It is inserted under the skin, with what
>>> I presume is a very simple surgical procedure. ?But I've hear of a
>>> sensor being developed in Japan that is based on a needle.
>>>
>>> Until we can invent a device that will MAKE the insulin itself
>>> (instead of having to be refilled every day), this is as close as we
>>> can get to "artificial pancreas"
>>
>> Hello,
>> Does anyone know the name of this type of pump or who makes it? My
>> child was diagnosed with type 1 six weeks ago. I'd love to have this
>> for him.
>
> Mack or NIco seem to be current in this area.
>
> My imoression is to go slow on items like this.
There have been numerous attempts. I'm going to be really surprosed if a
membrane based system works: the original external artifial pancreas of 30
years ago used one, but the reliability was ****: you were lucky if more
than
half out of a box of sensors worked.
Leaving things implanted in the body is always a source of concern, and
should
be: something that is chemically reactive, such as most glucose sensors,
leaves an interesting issue in getting the fluid you want to test to the
sensor without damaging tissue, contaminating it with unwanted material,
or
creating scar tissue that might be a problem later, and another problem
with
keeping it accurate. Testing blood usually takes, well, some blood. How
much
does the sensor use?
There have been numerous attempts to do glucose sensing optically, and
it's
never worked well enough. The Glucowatch draws interstitial osmotically to
a
wristpad under a wristwatch, and also has limited accuracy.
Are we sure it's not one of the replaceable canulas, used by the Medtronic
insulin pump to provide frequent testing? They're hardly continuous, and
they're still susceptible to all sorts of errors, but they do quite
frequent
testing and may be a useful approach for someone brittle to guide their
pump
dosages.
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