From Syringe
To Implantable Insulin Pump

The discovery of Insulin brought the paradigm change in the therapies for diabetes. It is now the technology for the delivery of insulin that is undergoing a radical change. The conventional syringe remained the sole method of insulin delivery for decades. The original glass syringes and their large, reusable needles had their own limitations. They had to be boiled for sterilization and the needles had to be sharpened with the pumice stone for reuse. The whole process was cumbersome and painful. 

Syringes continue to play a prominent role in patient care even today but they are now disposable plastic  devices that deliver as little as 0.5-unit dosing increments through 30-gauge, short, attached needles. Yet they have not overcome some of the limitations of the glass syringe. Besides being cumbersome and somewhat painful, they are also associated with the  same risk of dosage  errors as their  mother was.  It is estimated that as high as 80 % patients incorrectly administer the insulin via syringe.

Insulin Pens

Insulin Pens are unique in that they combine the insulin container and the syringe in a single unit.  Users of Insulin Pens turn a dial to select the desired dose of insulin and press a plunger on the end to deliver the insulin just under the skin.  This ensures extremely accurate insulin delivery. Advances in the needle manufacturing  technology have come out with needles that are comparatively much  less painful.  This is why Insulin Pens have become extremely popular throughout the world.  They are now available in various types and styles.

Pre-filled Pens:  Pre-filled Pens contain a built-in, single use insulin cartridge. Because this device requires no loading by the patient, it is specially convenient and easy to use. These pens have single dosing increments, audible clicks when dialing the dose, a large magnifying window that shows the unit dose, two way dose setting that allows the user to decrease the dose without taking the pen apart or discharging insulin from the pen, and an end-of –dose click that indicates that the full dose has been delivered. With individual use of the pen , the risk of infection is minimized.

Reusable Pens: With the reusable pen, the patient inserts an insulin cartridge into the pen’s delivery chamber. For some patients, this allows greater flexibility. He/she can change the type of insulin if prescription changes without needing to buy another pen. While its advantage is its reusability, its disadvantage is the potential loss of sterility with use.

Insulin Jet Injectors: For those who do not like the prick of a needle, Insulin Jet Injector is an alternative. It sends a  fine spray  of insulin  through the skin by a high-pressure air mechanism.

External Insulin Pumps: Connected to a narrow, flexible plastic tubing that that ends with a needle inserted just under the skin near the abdomen, the  Insulin  Pump is about the size of a deck of cards, weighs about 3 ounces, and can be worn on a belt or in a pocket.  Users set the pump to give a steady trickle or “basal” amount of insulin continuously throughout the day. Most pumps today have the option for setting several basal rates.  Pumps release “bolus” doses of insulin (several units at a time) at meals and at times when blood sugar is too high based on the users’ programming.  Frequent blood glucose monitoring is essential to determine insulin dosages and to ensure that insulin is delivered.