Researchers at Boston University and Massachusetts General Hospital have successfully tested a bionic pancreas system for people with diabetes.
Researchers at Boston University and Massachusetts General Hospital have successfully tested a bionic pancreas system for people with diabetes.
The newly developed system was more effective in clinical trials for people with type 1 diabetes to control their blood sugar levels, compared to when the same people used manual monitors and insulin pumps.
Most diabetics prick their finger to measure their blood sugar levels and then give themselves the necessary amount of insulin to balance it out.
The study involved a subject group of 20 adults and 32 teenagers who used the new system over the course of five days.
There are three parts to the system including two hormone pumps about the size of pagers, with thin tubes connecting them to the patient’s body, along with a computer brick including an iPhone and a continuous glucose monitor.
One of the hormone pumps provides insulin, which lowers blood sugar, and the other delivers a stream of glucagon to raise the patient’s blood sugar.
The glucose monitor sends a signal to the iPhone, which then triggers the pumps to release the necessary hormones to help the diabetic patients maintain a safe blood sugar level.
