Novel technology from Fada Medical improves insulin delivery for Type 1 diabetes

[littlevoice359]

This startup claims to have technology to extend canula life to 30 days.

Novel technology from Fada Medical improves insulin delivery for Type 1 diabetes

New Innovator: Technology helps critical infusion devices to overcome the body’s defence mechanism for much longer than is presently possible

www.irishtimes.com

 

[rebrascora]

Interesting but I wonder if that amount of insulin going into one site over 10 days let alone 30 😱 is necessarily a good idea. I currently don't feel comfortable injecting more than 12 units into a site, granted that is all at one go, with a needle rather than it diffusing in gradually through a cannula, but I split my morning basal dose into 2 x 11units for this reason. It makes sense that there will be more even absorption through two totally separate sites.
Also, the skin under the adhesive is going to be a bit unhappy after 30 days I would expect and you could imagine more people developing skin irritation as a result.
I know that many people say that the cannulas are the weakest link in pump delivery, so even if their product improved insulin delivery over 3 - 5 days, I imagine it would be a winner providing it is cost effective. I certainly wish them luck with their product development and anything which potentially reduces the amount of waste because it lasts longer has to be good for the environment as well as people's health. There is so much waste generated by diabetes tech at the moment!

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I know that many people say that the cannulas are the weakest link in pump delivery, so even if their product improved insulin delivery over 3 - 5 days, I imagine it would be a winner providing it is cost effective.

That was my feeling. Maybe 30 days will turn out to be too long but 10 days works OK, and that would be a significant win.

 

[helli]

I feel this part
"The problem is that an ISC only lasts two to three days before it has to be changed. This constantly interrupts the delivery of insulin and can have a negative impact on blood-glucose control,"
is addressing a problem that doesn't really exist. As a pump user, I agree it is a pest to have to change my pump every 3 days* but it only takes 10 to 15 minutes and I top up the missed basal (about 0.2 units) when I restart so there is no negative impact on BG control (although I hate the word "control" when applied to diabetes).

Sure, I would like to be able to keep my pump in place for longer but still not convinced the issue is that great. Better Closed loop is far more important.

*interestingly, I was always told to change cannulas every 3 to 4 days so again, these guys are exaggerating the "problem".

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Sure, I would like to be able to keep my pump in place for longer but still not convinced the issue is that great.

I'm imagining it as a cost saving rather than anything else. (On the assumption that this is a significant part of the additional cost of pump over MDI, which may not be true.) I agree the argument that changing ISC might be a problem for control because of the short gap in delivery seems a bit silly.

 

[rebrascora]

I was thinking that argument was more to do with cannula failures creating a problem with diabetes management, rather than the changing of a cannula or pump in the case of patch pumps, to prevent cannula failure. ie not so much the cannula change but the reduction in people experiencing highs due to cannula failure. There certainly seem to be people who have issues with particular cannulas tunneling etc from what I have read, which obviously leads to high BG levels that take longer to bring back down again and regulate.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I was thinking that argument was more to do with cannula failures creating a problem with diabetes management, rather than the changing of a cannula or pump in the case of patch pumps, to prevent cannula failure. ie not so much the cannula change but the reduction in people experiencing highs due to cannula failure.

Possibly, and being able to keep one that's working in for longer would help with that.

 

[helli]

I was thinking that argument was more to do with cannula failures creating a problem with diabetes management, rather than the changing of a cannula or pump in the case of patch pumps, to prevent cannula failure. ie not so much the cannula change but the reduction in people experiencing highs due to cannula failure. There certainly seem to be people who have issues with particular cannulas tunneling etc from what I have read, which obviously leads to high BG levels that take longer to bring back down again and regulate.

I didn't read anything in the article which would lead to less cannula failures.
It did mention the body rejecting the cannula which make cut it down a little but, whilst you do read about a few people experiencing cannula failure, it is very rare.

 

[Thebearcametoo]

My kid would be delighted to do fewer cannula changes. I don’t know if 30 days would be possible but 7-10 days would lift a lot of the burden of his management.

 

[nonethewiser]

Article is talking rubbish in parts, changing cannula sites does interrupt insulin delivery but it need not affect bg levels, sure many of us pump usets know that by prebolusing before change it stops bg rising.

Couldn't think of anything worse than having cannula inserted for more than week at most, site would be well shot waiting beyond that.

 

[trophywench]

I should think that my elderly non flexible skin is not likely to be very happy at much longer than 48 hours, ish. Sites do absorb for longer sometimes, but no guarantees whatever on that, currently.