(Intro)
The pancreas is an organ located in the abdomen and is a part of both the digestive system, as well as
the endocrine system. The pancreas perform two main tasks: It aids in the process of digestion (exocrine
function), and controls blood sugar levels (endocrine function).
The most common problem that affects the pancreas is diabetes and it affects the organ’s endocrine
function. There are 2 main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes makes the body unable to produce insulin,
while type 2 diabetes makes the body unable to utilize insulin well. Type 1 diabetes is the rarer type of
diabetes, with only 5-10% of diabetic people having this kind of diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes
control their blood glucose level by checking it and taking insulin, either by injection or through an
insulin infusion pump, several times a day. However, with modern technology, people can opt to have
an artificial pancreas which automatically monitors your blood glucose level, calculates the amount of
insulin you need at different points during the day, and delivers it.
(Main)
Artificial pancreas systems are fairly new technology. The first artificial pancreas system was approved
by the FDA in 2016 and since then, there are now 4 FDA-approved artificial pancreas systems available
on the market.
The artificial pancreas is a system of devices that consists of: (1) a continuous glucose monitor (CGM)
which is a sensor that patients wear under their skin which sends the information wirelessly to a
program stored on a smartphone or on an insulin infusion pump; and (2) an insulin infusion pump will
deliver small doses of insulin throughout the day when blood glucose levels are not in your target range.
These work together to mimic how a healthy pancreas works and maintain the blood sugar levels in the
body. The device adjusts as needed.
There are artificial pancreas systems that give insulin automatically and some that only releases an
amount of insulin based on the amount of carbohydrates you consume at mealtime. The latter are
called “hybrid” artificial pancreas systems and they require users to count and type in the information
required on a smartphone application. These systems help control blood glucose levels throughout the
day and night, making it easier for people with type 1 diabetes to keep their blood glucose level in
range.
Researchers are actively working on an artificial pancreas system that not only produce insulin, but also
glucagon. The efficacy of this dual-hormone system, compared to insulin-only systems, have already
been researched on multiple times. It was discovered that this kind of system can control blood glucose
levels with significantly lower risk of hypoglycemia, a common side-effect of insulin-only artificial
pancreas system users. These systems are still in development however and are still not available on the
market.
References:
https://columbiasurgery.org/pancreas/pancreas-and-its-functions
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/diabetes.html
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes/artificialpancreas
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/what-is-an-artificial-pancreas