Implantable “teabag” device could offer hope for children with type I diabetes

Type I diabetes is often diagnosed in childhood and can be devastating. Unable to produce insulin in their own bodies to metabolise glucose, children must depend on regular injections of insulin, with doses determined by blood tests several times a day, to avoid falling into a coma as blood sugar levels drop; moreover, the long-term damage caused by abnormal sugar levels can be severe.

"The absence of this natural ability - minute-to-minute regulation of glucose levels - can result in long-term complications, such as blindness, amputation and kidney failure," explained Dr Klearchos Papas of the Departments of Surgery and Medical Imaging at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson. "Even with automated insulin delivery devices and continuous glucose monitoring - the best way possible to control your blood sugar - you still can end up with these consequences."

One method of controlling type I diabetes that has been investigated in depth is transplanting insulin-producing cells, known as islets, into the liver. If accepted, these sense glucose levels and secrete insulin into the bloodstream to break it down. But in common with all transplants, donors must take drugs to suppress their immune systems to prevent rejection. The side effects of these drugs are unpleasant and can be dangerous, so this technique is not recommended for children.